# Ants upstairs in bathroom.



## ChrisConnor (Dec 31, 2009)

I changed out all the toilets in a house today and while doing my final walk through with a customer, I found ants in one of the upstairs bathroom all around the toilet. I always leave an area of the toilet that is not caulked so you can see if the seal leaks, and there were ants searching all around the toilet and going under the bowl. 

When I started there were no signs of ants. These weren't termites, but small black ants. 

Customer said they've had ant's around the shower before, but not around the toilet. This is the second floor and these ants appeared an hour after I installed the toilet. 

Any experience with these things or know any problems to expect from them? Surely they are tunneling and living in the structure. Many of these homes were built with a plywood subfloor, overlayed with particle board then tile, but I am not sure about this particular bathroom. I couldn't see the subfloor through the flange.

Oh, I put the wax on the bowl, Set the bowl first, then the tank, used a braided supply connector, used hard plastic shims and caulk was 100% silicone.


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## RealCraftsMan (Dec 27, 2011)

I find them under wc's from time to time....not that uncommon imo.


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## ChrisConnor (Dec 31, 2009)

RealCraftsMan said:


> I find them under wc's from time to time....not that uncommon imo.


 Living upstairs? What do they eat?


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## Epox (Sep 19, 2010)

Wonder if someone sat on the pot eating cookies. :laughing:


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## 100 Watt (Aug 11, 2011)

Did you see any Uncles?:laughing:


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## plbgbiz (Aug 27, 2010)

They better get an exterminator before their toilet get's relocated to the living room downstairs. Carpenter ants can be every bit as destructive as termites, if not worse.


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## ChrisConnor (Dec 31, 2009)

I asked him if he had a regular pest control and he said yes and it's a large local company. I just hung up with him and told him what you said, he's calling them now. Thanks!

I once had a customer with a rocking toilet that had termites that ate the sub floor and and 2x8s in her upstairs bathroom, When I pulled the toilet were apparent. They were all under the vinyl. Very freaky.

Luckily she had a company that installed the Sentricon system to deal with termites and their guarantee stated that if termites damaged the home, they'd take care of 100% of the repairs.


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## Mississippiplum (Sep 30, 2011)

Sounds like the floor might fall through at anytime. 
Last thing they need Is to be dropping a duece and fall through the floor. 

Carpenter ants ain't called carpenter ants for nothin.

sent from the jobsite porta-potty


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