Response to Landlord

Location: Texas, USA. I need help with a response to my landlord regarding an issue with the maintenance of my property. I am seeking legal advice on how to construct a response and have certain points and concerns that I would like to address. Briefly: Tenants informed Landlord that ants were getting inside the residence because it's summer and NONE of the baseboards around the house are sealed, and that these ants have been biting Tenants. Landlord responded that the house passed inspection as-is, so he won't be making that repair. Landlord added that Tenants should pay for extermination both now and as a routine maintenance. Landlord claims that this is Tenant's responsibility, and is mentioned in the lease. (The lease mentions that the Tenant is responsible for additional desired extermination efforts, unless otherwise required by law.)