Termite treatments and inspections are essential for every home. It doesn’t matter if you have an existing infestation or are trying to prevent one. Still, it can be hard to know how often you should treat for termites.
When termite infestations go undetected, they can eat at your wooden foundation and cause extensive damage. Continue reading to learn why it’s necessary to start getting regular termite treatments.
How Long Does Termite Treatment Last?
Termite treatments last between one and ten years on average.
Heat Extermination Treatment
This treatment does not involve using chemicals. Instead, it uses heat at high degrees to kill termites. Exterminators need to seal up the entire home to ensure it reaches the correct temperature.
Fumigation
Fumigation relies on a chemical-laden gas to kill termites in one fell swoop. Exterminators enclose your entire property in a large, sealed tent. Then they release the gas into your home. The gas seeps into the wood and crevices where the termites live.
Once finished, the exterminators vent the tent so that all surface residue from the gas leaves your home.
Liquid Termite Treatments
Liquid termite treatments last from five to ten years on average. Termidor HP II is among the most effective, lasting ten years with a 2% retreatment rate.
For most liquid termite treatments, your pest control company digs a trench around the perimeter of your home to distribute it.
If there are gaps in the chemical barrier around your home, some termites might make their way to your house. These gaps can occur if you do any digging around your home after the liquid termite treatment.
Termite Bait Stations
The bait in termite bait stations lasts an average of one year and may require inspection 1-4 times per year.
A pest control specialist will place bait stations in the ground around your property. When termites are foraging and come across a bait station, they bring the bait back to the colony and infect other termites.
It takes a longer time to eliminate a colony with termite bait. A pest control specialist will also need to maintain your bait stations annually.
How Often Should You Treat for Termites?
Termite treatments last for an average of one to ten years.
An annual inspection can help determine if your termite treatment is still effective. It can also show if there are new entry areas not being covered by your current treatment.
Even if professionals add termiticides to your soil during home construction, a yearly inspection is necessary.
How often termiticide reapplication is necessary depends on the type of treatment:
- Termite bait station: One year
- Liquid barrier: Five years
Factors Influencing How Long Termite Treatments Last
Other factors can also contribute to how long a termite treatment is effective.
Infestation Level
Larger infestations are harder to exterminate with the same amount of bait. If you have a significant infestation, a specialist may need to check bait stations more often.
Property Setup
Be sure to treat every wooden part of your property. If there are areas that are accessible to termites but not humans, it may prevent complete treatment.
Termite Type
The most common termite infestations are from drywood and subterranean termites. However, they access their food differently.
Drywood Termites
Drywood termites don’t just enter through the floor. Points of entry may include:
- Unscreened attic or foundation vents
- Window frame cracks
- Door frames
- Soffits
- Roof sheathing
Since a drywood termite can only enter your home only through wood, you can easily distinguish them from other types of termites.
Subterranean Termites
Subterranean termites build mud tubes and can enter your home through the ground. Some of their favorite points of entry include:
- Cracks in the foundation or brick mortar
- Expansion joints
- Bath traps
- Damp wood in contact with the ground (especially wood siding)
- Infested lumber
- Mulch, trellises, or planter boxes
What Should You Do Between Treatments?
Here are a few tips for making your property less inviting to termites and identifying damage before it reaches your home:
- Get rid of standing water: Damp wood in your attic, crawl space, or outside your home attracts termites.
- Notice where wood meets soil around your foundation: This is the best point of entry for termites.
- Don’t store wood on the ground: Woodpiles or wooden building material stored directly on the floor invite infestation.
- Check your wooden deck, patio, or outdoor furniture for termite damage: Damage anywhere on your property indicates termites might also be in your home.
- Dispose of branches, stumps, and dead trees: Decomposing wood attracts termites.
How to Treat a Property with Termite History
If you’ve had a termite infestation in the past, more termites could show up later. If your home has ever had termites, it’s more important to get regular treatments and inspections.
An experienced, licensed, and dependable pest control team can partner with you to create a treatment plan for your property.
Stampede Pest Control has over ten years of pest control experience. Our pest control is guaranteed to work. We have organic options and always use pesticides that are safe for your family and pets. Contact us to get a quote or schedule your inspection today!
Termite Treatment FAQs
- Is Preventive Termite Treatment Needed? Yes. Termites have a queen that can lay up to 30,000 eggs in one day, so infestations grow rapidly. Termites damage 600,000 homes in the U.S. each year. U.S. homeowners spend around $2 billion to $5 billion each year controlling and repairing termite damage.
- How Fast Does a Termite Treatment Need to Take Effect? Termite treatment needs to take effect immediately because queens lay eggs daily. The treatments exterminators use cause termites to start dying within a day or two. With severe infestations, it can take longer to eliminate the whole colony.
- Will Termites Come Back After Treatment? Unfortunately, termites can come back after treatment. That is why ongoing maintenance is necessary to keep termites at bay.
- What’s the Average Cost of Termite Treatment? Termite treatments range between $200 and $900, breaking down to $3 to $16 per linear foot. The average termite treatment is around $560.
- Is an Annual Termite Inspection Necessary? Getting a yearly inspection for termite pests is ideal for all homes. Some mortgage companies require annual termite inspections. If your property has a history of termite infestations, a yearly examination is critical.
