Drywood termites
Drywood termites live in the wood they eat
Unlike subterranean termites, they need no contact with soil. They fly in at dusk, find a crack in an eave or a vent, and start a colony inside dry framing. Swarms can happen in any month here.
They can sit unnoticed in an attic or a roof frame for a long time
One spot is sometimes all there is, and sometimes it is the whole house
Only an inspection tells you which
Signs to look for
What homeowners usually notice first
Small piles of pellets
Tiny, hard pellets collecting under a window sill, a beam or a door frame.
Wings near a light
Discarded wings on a sill or a floor after dusk, where swarmers came to a light.
Tiny round holes
Small holes in wood, sometimes plugged with a bit of material.
Wood that sounds hollow
A tap on a frame or a baseboard that sounds different from the wood beside it.
What we do
Inspect, identify, treat, check
- 01
Inspect
We walk the outside, the attic and any open framing, with a light and a probe.
- 02
Identify
We tell you which insect it is. Drywood and subterranean termites are treated differently.
- 03
Treat
A spot treatment where the findings are small and in one place, a fumigation where they are not.
- 04
Check
The warranty comes in writing. On the five-year term, we return once a year to look again.
Fumigation prep
Before the tent goes up, and before you come home
Your estimate has the dates and the full list. These are the main steps.
Before the tent
Plan where your family and pets will stay for the days we give you
Bag or take with you the food, drink and medicine on our list
Move plants and trim shrubs back from the walls
Open interior doors, closets and cabinets
Arrange for the gas to be shut off as we tell you
Before you come home
We test the air and clear the house before anyone enters
We call you when the house is cleared
You turn the gas back on as we explain
Open windows and run fans, as the label asks
Questions
Drywood termite questions
Do I need a fumigation for every case?
No. If the findings are small and in one place, a spot treatment may do. The inspection tells us which, and the estimate says why.
How long does a fumigation take?
For most houses, a few days from the tent going up to the all-clear. The exact dates are on your prep sheet and they vary with the house and the weather.
Will it hurt my plants?
Plants next to the walls can be affected. We tell you what to move, trim or cover before the tent goes up, and we follow the label.
How soon will I know it worked?
We can’t see inside every board. That is why the warranty exists: if live drywood termites turn up in the treated area within the term, we come back.
Book the inspection first
It tells you what you have, and whether it needs a spot treatment or a fumigation.