If you’ve lived in Marin through a couple seasons, you already know spring isn’t just about better weather and longer days. It’s also when everything wakes up. And that includes the stuff you don’t want inside your house.
I dealt with this firsthand recently.
Started noticing carpenter ants around the baseboards and near a window. Not a huge swarm, but enough to know something was off. That’s usually how it starts.
After digging into it, the issue wasn’t the ants themselves. It was moisture.
There was a small area of wood near the exterior that had been holding moisture longer than it should. That’s exactly what carpenter ants are looking for.
Here’s what I did to fix it. This works if you catch it early:
• Traced where they were coming from
• Found the moisture source (small exterior leak + poor drainage)
• Replaced the compromised wood
• Sealed all exterior gaps around windows, siding, and penetrations
• Treated with a non-repellent solution so it gets back to the colony
• Set up a simple perimeter treatment after
Haven’t seen them since.
Now zooming out a bit, carpenter ants are just one piece of the puzzle.
Here’s what I see come up most often around Marin homes this time of year:
Carpenter ants
Usually tied to moisture or soft wood
Subterranean termites
More serious. Structural. Worth checking if it’s been a while
Argentine ants
The tiny ones that show up in kitchens out of nowhere
Roof rats
Common near hillsides and trees. Usually heard before seen
Raccoons and skunks
Under decks, crawl spaces, yards. They’ll make a mess if they get comfortable
Ticks
Especially if you’re near open space or trails
The bigger point here is this.
Pest issues are usually a symptom, not the problem.
Moisture. Gaps. Drainage. Deferred maintenance.
That’s what actually creates the opportunity.
If you stay ahead of those, you avoid most of this.
A few simple things I always recommend, especially for newer homeowners:
• Keep vegetation trimmed back from the house
• Make sure water drains away from your foundation
• Seal exterior openings early
• Don’t ignore small signs. They don’t stay small
And if you’re buying in Marin, this is exactly the kind of stuff I’m looking at during disclosures and inspections.
Not just what’s there today, but what could turn into an issue six months from now.
If you’re thinking about buying, selling, or just want a second set of eyes on a property, I’m always happy to help you think it through the right way.
Marc Estonilo
EQ1's Marin Relocation Expert
[email protected]
