Termites do not announce themselves with a roar. They work in quiet shifts, turning beams into honeycomb while the house keeps smiling from the curb. By the time a homeowner notices sagging trim or a spongy baseboard, the colony may have been feeding for years. I have opened many a wall that looked fine from the outside and found galleries etched like lace through two-by-fours. Termite control starts with catching that story early, then picking the right treatment based on the species, the building, and your tolerance for disruption.
What you are up against
Different termites behave like different teams with the same goal. Subterranean species nest in the soil, use moisture like a lifeline, and build mud tubes to reach wood. They are the most common across much of North America, including the eastern states and the Midwest. Formosan subterranean termites, a more aggressive cousin, show up in the Gulf and parts of the South. Drywood termites live directly inside wood, no soil required, and are common in coastal and warmer regions, especially the Southwest and parts of California and Florida.
That split matters. Subterranean termites are usually controlled at the soil and foundation level. Drywood termites often call for localized wood treatments or whole structure fumigation. One approach rarely solves both.
Termites are not drawn to dirt or decay alone. They prefer cellulose, which means structural lumber, subfloors, window frames, door casings, furniture, paper backing on drywall, cardboard boxes, even books in a basement that stays damp. Moisture increases the risk by a factor that I would call tangible. I have traced more infestations to a leaky hose bib or clogged gutter than to anything exotic.
The cost of waiting
The early stages of damage can look like pinholes or slight ripples in paint. Left alone, beams lose cross section, floors start to cup, doors stick, and joists require sistering or replacement. Minor termite repairs can land under a thousand dollars. Structural rebuilding after a long, hidden infestation can top twenty thousand. Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover termite damage. That reality makes early detection pest control near me and sensible prevention worth the time.
Early warning signs you can spot
If I had to boil down the most reliable field signs, they would fit on a palm card you could tuck in a junk drawer. Use this when you walk the house twice a year, spring and fall.
- Mud tubes on foundation walls, piers, or inside crawl spaces, as thin as pencil lead or as wide as a thumb. Swarmers or discarded wings on windowsills, near light fixtures, or by sliding doors, often after rain or a warm snap. Soft, blistered, or bubbling paint that yields under finger pressure and reveals paper-thin wood beneath. Hollow sounds when you tap baseboards or trim, with wood giving way to a blade under light pressure. Dry, sand-like pellets piling beneath small holes in wood, more typical of drywood termites than subterranean.
Two clarifications prevent a lot of false alarms. First, ant swarmers have a pinched waist and elbowed antennae. Termite swarmers look cigar shaped with straight antennae and equal-length wings. Second, carpenter ants excavate smooth galleries and kick out piles of sawdust-like frass mixed with insect parts. Subterranean termite mud has a gritty, clay texture and is often moist.
Where to look, and how to look
I advise a pattern. Start outside, then move in. On the exterior, crouch to view the slab or foundation, paying attention to where concrete meets siding, where deck posts meet soil, and along the lower rim joist. Pull back mulch by a few inches to check for tubes. Check irrigation heads that overspray the foundation and any firewood stacked within five to ten feet of the wall. Tug gently on kickout holes or suspicious caulk lines at window trim and threshold plates.
Inside, kitchens, baths, and laundry rooms deserve extra attention because water lines feed risk. In basements, look along sill plates and where utilities punch through. In crawl spaces, a flashlight and knee pads are not optional. Aim for a crawl path that makes a full loop. Tap the wood, lift insulation batts to see the top of joists, and sweep the light low across surfaces to catch texture changes. In attics, drywood termites often leave pepper-size pellets that roll off rafters like spilled coffee grounds. The pellets are chaff, not actual soil, and can collect in spider webs or on the floor below a kickout hole.
One more trick saves time. A moisture meter, even a basic one, helps separate old staining from active dampness. Subterranean termites need water to survive, so high readings near wood-to-soil contact, a slow drain, or an AC condensate line are worth chasing.
When a swarm shows up
Swarmers inside the home do not mean the house will collapse by nightfall, but they do signal a colony that has reached maturity. In the East, swarms tend to occur on warm days after rain, often in late winter through spring for subterranean species, with regional variation. Drywood termites can swarm at different times depending on species. If you find a pile of identical wings on a floor or windowsill, you likely missed the flight by hours. Save a few wings in a plastic bag and mark the date and room. They help a pest control company identify species later.
Vacuum the swarmers, seal the bag, and throw it away. Do not reach for a fogger. Space sprays do not fix a termite problem and can scatter swarmers into other rooms. If the swarm occurred near a single window frame or piece of furniture, that may be a local drywood infestation. If the swarm emerged from multiple baseboards along a wall or from expansion joints, suspect subterraneans traveling in the structure.
DIY or call in a pro
Some jobs reward patience and a trip to the hardware store. Termites are not on that list for most structures. The biology and building science intertwine in ways that make guesswork expensive. I have seen homeowners apply contact sprays to swarmers, then seal visible mud tubes with caulk. The termites simply built new tubes behind the baseboard.
Professional termite control blends inspection, identification, and a treatment plan that fits your foundation type, soil, and interior access. Concrete slab with finished floors, crawl space with limited clearance, or pier-and-beam construction all change the approach. A licensed pest control company has the injection gear, the right termiticide, and the training to apply it safely. The better firms build work around integrated pest management principles, meaning they address moisture and conditions, not just kill insects.
If cost is the sticking point, ask for options. Many reliable pest control specialists provide a pest inspection service at low or no charge for homeowners, along with a written diagram that shows conducive conditions. Pest control estimates often include at least two methods, sometimes three. Compare apples to apples: active ingredient, application zones, warranty term, and whether re-inspections or monitoring visits are included.
Treatment choices, and when to use them
You can group modern termite treatments into a few buckets. Each has a place, and the right choice often blends two methods.
Soil-applied non-repellent termiticides. For subterranean termites, this remains a backbone. Products in this class, such as fipronil or imidacloprid, are not detected by termites. Workers tunnel through treated soil, pick up a dose, and share it through the colony. On a slab, technicians drill small holes through concrete at regular intervals and inject the material along expansion joints, plumbing penetrations, and the interior or exterior perimeters. On crawl spaces, they trench and treat the soil along the foundation and around piers. When applied correctly, these barriers can protect for eight to twelve years, though soil types, rainfall, and landscaping can shorten or extend performance. Expect a treatment to take one to two days for a typical home and to cost in a range from 1,500 to 3,500 dollars depending on linear footage and drilling complexity. For commercial pest control accounts with large footprints or mixed-use foundations, pricing becomes project specific.
Baiting systems. Most modern baits use insect growth regulators such as noviflumuron. The goal is not to repel, but to feed the colony a slow-acting material that prevents successful molting. Stations are installed in the soil around the structure, monitored at intervals, and baited when activity is detected. Baiting shines where liquid treatments are impractical, such as near wells, cisterns, or high water tables, and where a long-term perimeter is desired with minimal chemical load. Baits also help manage neighboring colonies that would eventually forage onto the property. Initial installation often costs 2,000 to 4,000 dollars for a standard residence, with quarterly or biannual monitoring fees afterward. For homeowners who want eco friendly pest control or green pest control approaches, baits offer a lower-impact path when combined with moisture correction.
Localized wood treatments. For drywood termites, spot treatments using borate solutions or foams can be effective when infestations are limited and accessible. Borates diffuse into wood and render it inedible to termites and many wood-destroying fungi. Technicians drill small holes at intervals to inject foam into galleries. This is surgical work and depends on finding all the activity. I recommend spot treatments when kickout holes and pellets pinpoint a defined area and when we can expose the wood by removing a small section of drywall, trim, or exterior siding.
Whole structure fumigation. When drywood termites are spread through a structure, especially in older homes with complex trim profiles, whole house fumigation with sulfuryl fluoride is a proven method. The building is tented, sealed, and filled with gas to lethal concentrations for a defined exposure time, then aerated and cleared with meters before reentry. Fumigation does not leave a residual. It kills what is present. Companies often pair it with preventative borate spray to susceptible areas. Pricing varies with cubic footage and complexity, but it commonly runs 1,500 to 5,000 dollars for a single-family home. This is disruptive and requires moving food and certain items out and arranging for pets and plants.
Heat treatments. Targeted heat has a niche role for drywood termites in furniture, cabinets, or small sections of structures. Technicians raise the temperature in a contained zone to levels lethal to termites. It avoids chemical residues and can be a good fit for custom built-ins when we can isolate the work zone.
I would add one more category that is not a stand-alone fix but matters: building corrections. Removing wood-to-soil contact, repairing leaks, adjusting grade so water sheds away from the foundation, adding vapor barriers to crawl spaces, fixing gutters and downspouts, and installing proper ventilation do as much for long-term control as any gallon of termiticide. When we pair sensible building work with a professional termite treatment, call-backs drop sharply.
A brief case from the field
A colonial on a crawl space, built in 1978, with a history of musty smells. During a pest inspection service for a real estate transaction, I noticed faint mud flecks near the HVAC plenum and pencil-wide tubes up two piers. Moisture readings hovered above 20 percent in several joists near a slow drip at a copper elbow. The buyer wanted affordable pest control but also a warranty. We trenched and treated the crawl perimeter and piers with a non-repellent, installed a vapor barrier over exposed soil, had the plumber repair the elbow, and added two low-profile vents with thermostatic control. We scheduled a follow-up in 90 days. The tubes dried and flaked, no new construction appeared, and the sellers credited the buyers for the work at closing. That blend of termite control and simple building fixes is not flashy, but it holds.
What to do when you suspect termites
If you see a swarm, find mud tubes, or probe a baseboard that gives way, move with a plan that balances urgency and care.
- Photograph what you see, including a close-up and a wide shot that shows location. Save any wings or pellets in a bag. Note the date, weather, and room. Avoid tearing into walls or destroying tubes before an inspection. Disturbance can scatter evidence and complicate identification. Reduce moisture right now if safe to do so: run a dehumidifier, set fans to move air in a crawl space, repair an obvious drip, and pull mulch back from the foundation. Call a licensed pest control company for a same day pest control visit if activity is heavy or for the next available appointment if things are calm. Ask for a certified exterminator familiar with local termite species. Compare treatment proposals, including active ingredients, application methods, and warranty terms. Favor companies that explain inspection findings clearly and offer pest prevention service options.
A word about finding a provider. Searching pest control near me or local extermination services will return a raft of options. Do not let ad placement pick for you. Look for licensed pest control credentials, ask if technicians hold state-issued certifications, and read how they handle follow-ups. Top rated pest control outfits get there by not vanishing after the invoice. A reliable pest control company will also tailor service to the property, whether that is home pest control for a bungalow or commercial pest control for an office with slab penetrations under restrooms.
Costs, warranties, and what the fine print means
Prices move with house size, construction, and region. A slab home with extensive drilling may cost more than a crawl space with easy perimeter access, even at the same square footage. Expect a subterranean termite treatment bid to reference linear footage, usually measured around the base of the structure and interior walls that sit on grade. Bait systems will quote station counts and monitoring visits. Drywood spot treatments will list injection points. Fumigation will list cubic footage and tenting complexity.
Warranties vary. Some offer retreat-only coverage, which means the company will reapply the treatment if activity shows up within a set term. Others include limited damage repair, usually with a cap and many exclusions. Read whether the warranty is transferable to a new owner, which helps on real estate deals. Renewal fees often run from 100 to 300 dollars per year for subterranean warranties. Ask what conditions void coverage. Common ones include unresolved leaks, wood-to-soil contact, or foundation modifications without notice.
If a quote feels suspiciously cheap, ask where the savings come from. Shortcuts appear in reduced drilling, spot treating an active area without building a full barrier, weaker concentrations, or no follow-up. Cheap pest control can become expensive when the colony relocates to untreated soil and resumes feeding. Affordable pest control, by contrast, trims cost without trimming the core work, such as offering a bait system with longer monitoring intervals or staging building corrections over two visits.
Prevention that actually works
Termite prevention is not a slogan, it is a set of habits. Store firewood on racks, at least five to ten feet from the foundation. Keep mulch to a thin layer and pull it back a few inches from the contact point with the house. Fix leaks quickly, especially in crawl spaces where a slow drip can create a buffet line. Check that downspouts discharge away from the foundation and that soil grades gently outward for several feet. Avoid stacking cardboard boxes directly on slab floors in garages and basements. When remodeling, treat exposed framing in risk areas with a borate solution before closing walls. If you are building new, consider physical barriers like stainless steel mesh in slab penetrations or sand barriers of the correct particle size in certain regions.
For businesses, especially restaurants and warehouses, routine pest management company visits that combine pest inspection service with moisture and sanitation coaching reduce risk. Office pest control plans for slab buildings should map every plumbing penetration and conduit because termites love an expansion joint like a freeway.
Safety and environmental considerations
Modern termiticides, when applied by professional pest control technicians according to label, are designed to bind to soil and stay put. Even so, safety starts with the pre-job survey. Wells, sump pumps, French drains, and high water tables change how and where we treat. Families with infants, small pets, or sensitive individuals may prefer baiting strategies or products with different toxicological profiles. Chlorantraniliprole, for instance, carries favorable mammalian toxicity data while still effective against termites. If you care about organic pest control principles, ask providers which options align best. Purely organic termite control is limited, but an IPM pest control plan can sharply reduce chemical loads by correcting conditions and using targeted applications.
Whole structure fumigation for drywood termites comes with its own protocols. Aeration and clearance are instrument verified, and you will receive a reentry notice from the fumigator. Follow that to the letter. For wildlife concerns, fumigation tents must be sealed properly so neighborhood cats do not slip under and get exposed. Responsible fumigators use secondary locks and guards to prevent reentry during exposure.
Termites in the context of other pests
If you are already dealing with ants, roaches, mice, or mosquitoes, you might be tempted to bundle everything into one giant service call. Integrated service is fine, but recognize that termite treatment is its own discipline. Your ant control service may involve gels and perimeter sprays. Cockroach control may focus on sanitation and baits. A rodent control service will look for gnaw marks and entry points, setting traps and sealing gaps. Termite work slices into soil and structure. That is why many companies split crews between general insect control service and a termite team with different tools, training, and insurance riders. For properties that need year round pest control, consider a quarterly pest control service for general pests and a separate termite warranty and monitoring plan. One time pest control makes sense for a wasp removal service or a bee removal service near a porch, but termite colonies reward long-term strategy.
Special cases and edge decisions
Historic homes. Plaster-on-lath walls and original millwork can hide drywood termites for decades. Fumigation preserves finishes and reaches voids without tearing out crafted trim. Afterward, I like to follow with borate treatments to attic and crawl framing to build residual protection.
Townhomes and apartments. Shared walls complicate subterranean treatments. Coordinate with the association or property manager. If your neighbor refuses service, bait systems often deliver colony-level results that cross property lines more gracefully than incomplete soil treatments.
Slab additions. I see many homes with an original crawl space and a later slab sunroom or garage conversion that has plumbing tied into old lines. Termites follow those lines like runways. Treatment must include every transition between foundation types and around pipes that pierce the slab.
Commercial kitchens and schools. These often sit on slabs with a grid of utility penetrations. Plans and as-builts help, but field verification is vital. Termite exterminator crews will use ground penetrating radar or thermal imaging in some cases to locate voids before drilling. For hospital pest control, scheduling and containment are critical to minimize disruption and uphold safety protocols.
Working with a provider who earns trust
A trusted exterminator shows you the evidence, does not rush your questions, and lays out options with their trade-offs. They do not promise that one spray solves every future termite, and they do not hide behind jargon when you ask about active ingredients or application methods. If you need same day pest control because swarmers are pouring out of a baseboard, they triage and stabilize, then schedule the full treatment methodically. If you prefer a pest control consultation first, they walk the property and explain conducive conditions without turning everything into a scare tactic.
For homeowners who want a single point of contact, look for a bug control company that also handles bed bug treatment, mosquito control service, spider control, mice exterminator work, and rat exterminator services, but that keeps termite treatment as a specialty within the firm. Not because termites are exotic, but because they demand precision. Local pest control firms often outperform national brands on responsiveness, especially for emergency pest control or 24 hour pest control requests. National brands may have deeper warranties and financing options. There is no universal best pest control choice, only the best fit for your property and expectations.
The rhythm of maintenance
After treatment, schedule re-inspections. For bait systems, plan on regular checks, often quarterly or biannually, to swap out cartridges and verify station integrity. For soil treatments, an annual visit to probe for activity and check that landscaping, new patios, or downspout changes have not disrupted the barrier pays off. If you add a flower bed or pour a new walkway, call your provider. Small modifications can open pathways. A good pest control maintenance plan includes documentation with dates, readings, and any observed conditions. Keep it with your house records. It helps for resale and ensures continuity if you switch providers.
Termites thrive on inattention. With a keen eye and professional backup, they become manageable rather than mysterious. When you learn to read the faint signs on a foundation wall, when you keep water going where it should, and when you pick treatments with intent, the quiet workers lose their advantage.