Termite treatment, and what the warranty really covers

What is termite control?

Termite control means treating the structure so that termites cannot reach the wood, and then keeping that protection in force. There are two main professional approaches: a continuous liquid treatment applied into the soil around and beneath the foundation, and a system of in-ground bait stations that colonies feed on and carry back. Both are sold with an annually renewable warranty - and the single most consequential decision you will make is not which method, but whether that warranty covers retreatment only or also covers damage repair.

Signs you need termite control

• A swarm of winged insects indoors, usually in spring, often at a window - the most reliable single sign there is
• Discarded wings collecting on a windowsill or in a spider web after a swarm
• Mud tubes about the width of a pencil running up a foundation wall, a pier or a joist
• Wood that sounds hollow when tapped, or a screwdriver that goes in with almost no resistance
• Paint or drywall that looks blistered or rippled in a way that does not match any water source
• Floors or door frames that have started to sag or stick in a house with no other movement history
• A pest inspection or a real-estate report flagged evidence and you now need it dealt with
• Your existing termite warranty lapsed, or you bought a house and never checked whether one exists

Seeing something not on this list? Browse pest control problems by symptom →

How termite control actually works

1. 1

   A full inspection before any method is proposed

   A proper inspection covers the crawl space or basement, the perimeter, the garage, the attic where accessible, and the plumbing penetrations. The inspector is establishing which termite you have, where the entry points are, and how the structure is built - slab, crawl space or basement changes everything downstream.

   Watch forA quote issued without anyone entering the crawl space. That is where subterranean termite evidence lives. A quote produced from a walk around the outside is a price, not a diagnosis.

2. 2

   Identifying which termite you actually have

   Subterranean termites nest in the soil and travel up into the structure, which is why soil and bait treatments work on them. Drywood termites live entirely inside the wood with no soil contact, and a soil barrier does nothing about them. The wrong identification means the right treatment applied to the wrong problem.

   Watch forA company that proposes the same protocol regardless of species. Ask which termite was identified and what the evidence was.

3. 3

   Choosing the approach - liquid, bait, or both

   A liquid soil treatment creates a treated zone the termites must cross to reach the structure. A bait system places stations in the ground around the house that are monitored and serviced over time. Liquid acts on the structure; bait acts on the colony. Some houses get both, and some get a wood treatment applied to exposed timbers in addition.

   Watch forBeing shown one method because it is the only one the company sells. Ask directly whether they offer both, and if not, whose interest the recommendation serves.

4. 4

   Preparation and access

   Liquid work needs a continuous treated zone, so the crew needs access all the way round: shrubs pulled back, stored items moved off the foundation, crawl space hatches clear. Where a slab or a patio meets the house, the treatment has to be delivered through it.

   Watch forSections skipped for access - behind a deck, under an addition, along a shared wall. A barrier with a gap in it is a barrier with a door in it, and it should be noted on the graph rather than quietly omitted.

5. 5

   Drilling, trenching and application

   Along soil, the material is trenched in. Where concrete abuts the structure - patio, driveway, garage slab, porch - holes are drilled through it at intervals, treated, and then patched. This is the visible, disruptive part of a liquid job.

   Watch forWho patches the drill holes and how. Get this agreed in writing before the crew arrives, along with what happens to a patio you care about the look of. Also confirm they have located the well, the septic and any radiant floor tubing first.

6. 6

   Bait station installation and the monitoring cycle

   Stations go into the ground around the perimeter at intervals and are checked on a schedule. Bait systems are not instant - they work through colony feeding over time, which is precisely why they only work if somebody actually keeps servicing them.

   Watch forA bait system sold and then serviced erratically. The stations are worthless unmonitored, and the warranty usually depends on the service schedule being kept. If the company stops visiting, you have paid for plastic in the lawn.

7. 7

   The treatment graph and the warranty documents

   You should receive a diagram of the structure showing what was treated, where, and what was found - plus the warranty itself. This graph is what a future buyer's inspector, and any future claim, will be read against.

   Watch forNo graph. It is standard practice in the trade and its absence makes both the work and any later claim unverifiable.

8. 8

   Annual renewal and re-inspection

   Warranties are renewed yearly with an inspection. The renewal keeps the coverage alive; letting it lapse ends it, and reinstating it later frequently requires a new full treatment at full price.

   Watch forLapsing the renewal because the house seems fine. This is the most expensive small mistake in the category - it is also why a lapsed bond on a house you are buying matters.

What does termite control cost?

Full-structure termite treatment is typically a four-figure job, varying widely with the size of the structure, the foundation type, and whether you are buying a liquid treatment or a monitored bait system. Annual renewal is a separate recurring charge. The Cost Guide breaks down what drives the range.

See the full termite control cost guide - by material, size and region →

If the number is the problem, here are the ways people pay for it →