Portland homeowners are faced with problems with insects such as carpenter ants, which can damage your siding. While wood siding looks great initially, it can eventually need costly repairs and replacement. And unfortunately, it can become a magnet for pests like carpenter ants.
Carpenter ants are often attracted to moist or warm environments, and they can eat the wood structure of your home. Since they are associated with moisture retention in a home, be on the lookout for excess moisture as well as soft, rotting wood on your home exterior. And they are attracted to wood that has been softened by fungus.
How to know if you have carpenter ants
Carpenter ants vary in size and can have different looks to them: black and red, completely black, red, or brown. If you have wood siding, and you spot small openings on the wood’s surface, you may have carpenter ants in your siding. Through the holes, ants expel siding material that looks like sawdust shavings. They also may expel fragments of insulation as well as insect body parts. If you see an accumulation of debris like this below holes in your siding, you likely have carpenter ant infestation under your siding.
Preventing carpenter ant infestation
Carpenter ants need a water source to survive, so get rid of any standing water around your home, and be sure your siding is intact so it doesn’t retain moisture and attract pests like carpenter ants. Be sure to cut back trees and shrubs so they don’t brush up against your home.
Verify there aren’t cracks or gaps around the perimeter of your home’s doors and windows. Use silicon-based caulk to seal up any openings to fortify your home against infestation. And keep your firewood away from your home, as it can be an ideal place for carpenter ants to build their nests.
If your home is infested with ants
As soon as you are aware your home has carpenter ant infestation, have them exterminated. Next, if your siding has been infested, contact a home exterior remodeler to get your siding repaired or replaced. Since wood siding offers a welcome home to pests like carpenter ants, when you’re ready for siding replacement, choose siding that resists carpenter ants, termites, and woodpeckers so you can avoid the hassles of infestation.
James Hardie fiber cement siding resists insects, including carpenter ants
Wood siding can tend to rot, hold moisture, and attract woodpeckers, termites, and other insects including carpenter ants. But James Hardie fiber cement siding resists pests including carpenter ants. It is an extremely durable, non-toxic material ideal for homeowners who are looking for long-term performance.
Made of a mixture of cement, cellulose, water, and sand, fiber cement is excellent at resisting the wear and tear that comes as siding ages. Unlike stone or brick siding, it doesn’t tend to erode away over time. Unlike wood, fiber cement resists pest infestation and damage.
James Hardie siding is unappealing to pests due to its makeup. Insects, pests, and ants can’t eat fiber cement siding, so when you have this amazing product installed, you won’t have to deal with termites, carpenter ants, woodpeckers and other annoying creatures.
Other benefits of James Hardie siding
Great Value
As a result of its incomparable composition and durability, James Hardie fiber cement siding stays in great condition for many years, giving you exceptional value for your initial investment.
Climate Specific
James Hardie siding is made specifically for the region of the country in which it is used. Get the optimal siding engineered for climate®. The HZ5 product is ideal for Vancouver, WA and the surrounding Portland, OR area weather, with the HardieZone® System.
Enduring Popularity
James Hardie siding has been used on over 8,000,000 homes in North America. Homeowners love its durability, beauty, outstanding warranty, and more. Over 18 billion square-feet of this exceptional siding product has been installed to date.
Superb Performance
A home’s siding, and its proper installation, protects your home during extreme heat or cold. James Hardie siding is resistant to excessive rain, snow, and even severe ice storms. It also resists damage from the change of seasons, extreme temperatures, windblown debris, moisture, rotting, warping, and hail.
Stunning Styles
Select from a wide variety of siding options such as popular HardiePlank® lap siding, attractive HardieShingle® siding, stunning HardiePanel® vertical siding, HardieTrim® for your home’s finishing touch, and HardieSoffitt®.
Unmatched Aesthetics
If your curb appeal is lacking, James Hardie replacement siding will give you the aesthetics you’ve desired. Boost your home’s resale value, and enjoy coming home again with this attractive siding product.
Contemporary Choices
The Aspyre Collection, James Hardie’s newest siding product, provides unmatched beauty with style options from Traditional to Contemporary homes. The Aspyre Collection offers aesthetically pleasing, varied textures which give designers unique style choices to satisfy even the most distinct taste. This line offers creative solutions for today’s homeowners by combining the thick, distinct shapes of Artisan® siding with the smooth geometric Reveal® Panel System.
Are you wanting to learn more about what James Hardie Siding can do for your home? Check out our James Hardie Siding Guide!
James Hardie Siding
Siding gives your home a durable covering to ensure it is properly protected from the elements, bugs, and insects such as termites and carpenter ants. The problem is, some siding products can be magnets for pests and compromise your home’s integrity.
When pests invade your siding, it opens up your home to moisture problems and decay. The time and cost incurred from infestation can be a sizable hassle, leaving homeowners frustrated or overwhelmed. The good news is that when you replace your siding with a product like James Hardie fiber cement siding, it resists pests and carpenter ants, so you can enjoy your home and avoid the trouble pests cause.
Get a Reliable Siding Contractor
Don’t settle for inferior home exterior contractors. Get trustworthy siding installation with Lifetime Exteriors professionals. We protect your biggest investment. Contact us for a free estimate, and in the meantime, check out what others are saying about our personalized service.
