Termite Treatment and Termite Control for Central NJ Homes

Termite or flying ant? Signs that call for treatment

In spring, many homeowners first notice termites as a swarm of winged insects near a window or a basement wall. Ants swarm too, and the EPA lays out how to tell them apart:

• Wings: a termite's wings are roughly equal in length, while an ant's front wings are longer than its hind wings
• Antennae: termite antennae are straight and may droop, while ant antennae bend at a sharp angle
• Shed wings piled on a sill or floor after a swarm are worth bagging and showing to us

Mud tubes and hollow wood

The EPA notes that termites rarely come out of the soil, their mud tubes, or the wood they are feeding on. Earthen tubes climbing a foundation wall, a pier, or a pipe chase are a strong sign. The EPA also suggests probing exposed wood with a flathead screwdriver to find hollow spots. Sill plates, rim joists, and door frames near the ground are the usual places we probe first.

Our species in this region

According to the EPA, native subterranean termites are the most common kind across most of the United States. These are ground-dwelling termites, which is why both treatment approaches below are built around the soil next to the house.

Liquid termite control along the foundation

A liquid soil application is the approach most people picture. Our technician applies a labeled termiticide into the soil along the foundation, which usually means a shallow trench around the outside walls and, where a slab, porch, or garage floor covers the soil, drilling and treating beneath it. Inside, areas such as a bath trap or a crack in a basement slab may also need attention.

The EPA lists liquid soil-applied termiticides among the recognized termite treatment methods, and it also warns that treatments done improperly can contaminate the home and nearby drinking water wells. If your property has a private well, a cistern, a French drain, or a sump that discharges near the house, tell us before the visit. Those details change where and how product can go, and in some cases they point toward baits instead.

Pesticide applications are made by NJDEP-licensed applicators. The EPA suggests asking any termite company to show its pesticide applicator license, and we are glad to show ours.

Termite bait stations around the house

Termite baits are the other main option the EPA describes. Bait stations are set into the ground at intervals around the house. Each one holds bait that foraging termites can find and feed on, and the stations are checked on a schedule set by the product label.

Baits suit some homes particularly well: properties with a well close to the foundation, houses where drilling through finished floors would be disruptive, and owners who prefer ongoing monitoring. The trade-off is time. A liquid application treats the soil along the foundation in one visit, while a bait system depends on termites finding the stations and feeding over time, so regular service visits are part of the deal.

Some homes get a combination: liquid treatment at an active entry point plus stations around the rest of the perimeter. We will explain why if we recommend that.

What changes the cost of termite treatment

We do not publish a single number because two houses on the same street can differ a lot. After the inspection you get a written quote, and these are the factors behind it:

• Linear feet of foundation to treat, including attached garages, porches, and additions
• Construction type: full basement, crawl space, slab on grade, or a mix
• How much concrete or finished flooring has to be drilled to reach the soil
• Liquid application, bait stations, or a combination
• Wells, sumps, and drainage that limit where product can be placed
• How widespread the activity is, and whether wood repairs are needed first
• Ongoing monitoring or annual inspections after the initial work

Moisture, wood, and soil: making the house less inviting

Treatment works better when the conditions that drew termites in are fixed too. The EPA recommends keeping the soil around the foundation dry through proper grading and drainage, leaving a ventilation space between the soil and wood, and not storing firewood or wood debris against the house. On our visits we point out the specific conditions at your property, such as:

• Gutters and downspouts that empty right at the foundation
• Soil or mulch built up against siding or sill plates
• Deck posts, stair stringers, or trim sitting directly on the ground
• Damp crawl spaces with wood debris left from construction
• Firewood stacked against the wall of the house or garage

Questions worth asking any termite company

Whether you hire us or someone else, the EPA suggests a few checks. Ask which product will be used and confirm its label carries directions for termite control and structural protection; the EPA notes that a product without them is not intended to protect the structure. Ask what the plan is for wells and drainage on your lot. And make sure the applicator tells you when you can go back into treated areas. Our technician will explain any steps to take before and after treatment, following the product label.

If you are selling or buying a house, start with our termite inspection page, which covers the wood destroying insect report used in real estate deals. Homes near wooded lots and older foundations in towns such as Old Bridge, Metuchen, and Woodbridge are good candidates for a look before spring.