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Ant: A Recent Job in Surprise, AZ & Some Homeowner Tips

Category: Holiday

Published: April 2026

By: Kyle Deal, Owner, Deal Pest Control

What I Walked Into

April is when I start getting more ant calls across the West Valley area. Temperatures rise, and ants start moving around more — looking for food, water, and a way inside.

This one came from a homeowner who noticed ants along the kitchen window and near the back patio door. Just a few at first, but within a couple of days it turned into a consistent trail.

The house was clean and well-kept. No obvious mess, nothing left out. But once I started checking the interior and exterior more closely, I found a few things that were making it easy for them to keep coming back. That's usually how it goes — it doesn't take a dirty home. Just a small entry point, a food source, or a bit of moisture.

The Problem

Once I looked around the property, it was clear the ants weren't just wandering in randomly.

There was activity near the kitchen window, along the patio edge, and around some landscaping close to the home. I also spotted small gaps around the exterior where they could travel inside.

The homeowner mentioned the ants seemed to disappear after being wiped away, but they kept coming back to the same spots. I see that a lot across the West Valley area. When there's an active trail or colony nearby, they'll keep returning until the source is dealt with.

The Process

I did a full inspection of the inside and outside of the home — focusing on where ants were trailing, entering, and gathering.

I checked the kitchen, windows, door thresholds, patio, foundation line, landscaping, irrigation zones, and any small gaps around the exterior.

After finding the main activity areas, I treated the key spots and walked the homeowner through what to watch — especially around the kitchen, patio, and landscaping. I also recommended a few simple prevention steps: wiping up food residue, sealing small gaps, reducing excess moisture, and keeping plants trimmed away from the home.

Ant control works best when treatment and prevention are working together.

The Outcome

Within a short time, the homeowner noticed a lot less activity around the kitchen window and patio door.

The trails went quiet, and ants stopped showing up in the same numbers around the main problem areas. By the next check-in, they had already started keeping the patio cleaner and checking for moisture near the landscaping. That's really the best result — the treatment helps, and the homeowner knows what to stay on top of going forward.

DIY Advice I Shared

Before I left, I gave them a few simple things to help keep ants away.

The first thing I always bring up is food and moisture. Wiping down counters, floors, and food prep areas regularly goes a long way — ants follow crumbs and residue, so keeping surfaces clean removes one of the main things drawing them in. I also told them to keep pet food sealed and avoid leaving food or sugary drinks sitting out for long periods.

Moisture is another big one. I suggested checking under sinks, near bathrooms, around irrigation areas, and along landscaping close to the home. Damp spots give ants exactly the kind of environment they look for.

I also recommended sealing small gaps around windows, doors, and utility lines where ants may be entering. Even tiny openings are enough for them to find their way inside. And lastly, trimming plants and shrubs away from the home removes the protected pathways ants use to travel toward the structure.

Simple steps, but they make a real difference when combined with professional treatment.

"It's brighter than before!"

— Megan

Professional Insight

Ant problems are almost always connected to food, moisture, shelter, and access points around the home.

They're not showing up for no reason — they're following a trail, looking for a resource, or coming from a nearby colony that found a way in. That's why I focus on more than just the ants you can see. I look for where they're traveling, where they may be nesting, and how they're getting inside. Once those areas are treated and the homeowner knows what to correct, it's a lot easier to manage.