Termites infest as many as 600,000 American homes annually and can cause thousands of dollars of damage. If you find signs of termite damage in your home or suspect termites from a nearby rotting tree might be coming inside, it’s time to call a professional exterminator to handle the issue quickly. The faster your termite treatment is carried out, the less likely you’ll see severe property damage and costly repairs.
In this guide, we’ll explain the average cost of termite treatment and some additional fees to consider to help you get an accurate estimate. We’ll also explain how to identify termite damage in and around your house and choose the best exterminator in your area.
Key takeaways:
The average cost of termite treatment is $585, but can cost between $200 to $1,000 or more.
Preventive care costs between $500 and $1,400 annually.
Some companies offer free termite inspections, but others will charge a fee of $70 to $200.
Termite treatment is best left to the professionals. DIY termite treatment may be cheaper, but it often will not solve the problem.
Average cost of termite treatment
While catching a termite issue early will likely cost you less overall, more severe infestations may come with significantly higher totals.
National and regional cost averages
The national average cost of termite treatment in the United States is around $585, and most termite extermination jobs cost between $200 and $1,000. These prices are for resolving a particular instance of termite infestation and don’t include ongoing costs for preventive treatment, which averages around $600 per year. Annual contracts usually sit between $500 and $1,400.
Your total could vary based on region, with prices tending to be a little higher, on average, in the Northeast. The table below includes some typical costs for termite treatment based on where in the country you need service:
Average termite treatment cost by U.S. region
|
Average cost of termite treatment
|
|
|---|---|
| Midwest | $556 |
| Southeast | $560 |
| Pacific Northwest | $661 |
| Southwest | $669 |
| Northeast | $713 |
Cost ranges for different treatment methods
The most common treatment method for termites is using bait stations around the perimeter of your home. However, your exterminator may need to use various techniques, depending on the extent of the infestation and if termites have already made it inside your house. The table below includes some average costs for different treatment methods.
Average termite treatment cost by method
|
Useful for
|
Average cost
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Bait stations | Preventive care/active infestations |
$7 - $12 per linear foot |
| Chemical termiticide | Preventive care |
$3 - $16 per linear foot |
| Fumigation | Active infestations |
$10 - $20 per linear foot |
| Heat tenting | Active infestations |
$10 per linear foot |
Inspection and assessment fees
Termites are particularly troublesome because they can feed on wood that’s hidden behind your walls, making identifying the pests and the damage they leave behind challenging. As such, less pervasive termite infestations may require a termite inspection before your exterminator will begin treatment.
The average cost of a termite inspection is around $125, and prices can range from $75 up to $200, depending on where you live, the size of your home and the kind of foundation you have. Some companies — including Orkin, Terminix and Ehrlich Pest Control — offer free termite inspections, although their treatment options may be a bit more expensive to account for the lack of an upfront cost.
Ongoing monitoring and maintenance costs
Preventing termite damage is almost always more cost-effective than treating it after the fact, so most homeowners sign up for ongoing termite preventive care after a one-off extermination.
Termite bait stations are the most popular preventive method, but the table below includes pricing for different options based on an 1,800-square-foot home. These prices include an initial site visit and ongoing treatment for a year.
Average termite prevention cost by method
|
Average cost (1,800 sq. ft. home)
|
Typical price range
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Chemical termiticide | $2,242 |
$708 - $3,776 |
| Termite bait stations | $2,242 |
$1,652 - $2,832 |
Factors affecting termite treatment costs
With termite treatment costs ranging from just a few hundred dollars to more than $1,000 in some cases, it should be no surprise that several factors affect the total cost.
Size of your home
With most termite treatments based on square footage or linear footage, the size of your home will play a significant role in the cost. Larger homes require more bait stations, chemical termiticides or site preparation before fumigation or heat treatments.
Treatment methods
Preventive treatments tend to cost more over time, but they provide peace of mind and could help you avoid expensive structural damage in the long run, making them more worthwhile. Reactive treatment is also more likely to require multiple site visits, driving up your total.
- Bait stations: Bait stations are placed around the perimeter of your structure to attract termites. The bait is non-repellent and contains poison, so the termites collect it and bring it back to their nest, killing off the other termites inside. Bait stations are effective in both proactive and reactive situations, but they tend to be more expensive over time due to the need for ongoing monitoring.
- Chemical termiticide: Chemical termiticide is either a termite repellent or an insecticide that an exterminator can place around your home or inject into exposed wooden portions of your home. Repellent termiticides repel termites but won’t kill them, so they’re only useful for preventive treatment. Non-repellent termiticides act like bait stations. Termiticide application is time-intensive, making it one of the most expensive methods.
- Fumigation: Fumigation involves tenting your home and pumping poisonous gas throughout the interior to kill the termites behind your walls. When done correctly, this is an effective reactive solution. It’s relatively inexpensive, although the size of your home can drive up your total.
- Heat treatment: Heat treatment is similar to fumigation, but instead of poison, your exterminator will bring the interior temperature up to around 130 degrees Fahrenheit and hold it there for a few hours to kill the termites behind your walls. Heat treatment is usually the most cost-effective solution to a termite infestation.
Pros and cons of common termite treatments
|
Pros
|
Cons
|
|
|---|---|---|
| Bait stations | Proactive and reactive |
Takes weeks/months to eliminate the colony |
| Chemical termiticide |
Can be the most affordable option |
Not always best for reactive treatment |
| Fumigation | Kills termites in your home in a single treatment |
Can fail if done improperly |
| Heat treatment | Faster than fumigation |
Can fail if done improperly |
Signs of termite infestation
Termites are wood-destroying insects, meaning they feed on portions of your home that you don’t typically see — including wall studs, rafters, beams and subflooring. Luckily, there are some signs you can look out for to identify even moderate termite damage and some things that should prompt you to call a professional immediately.
According to Craig Wilson, owner of STOP IT!! Pest Services in Norwalk, Connecticut, symptoms will usually appear in basements or crawl spaces first, or near areas of the home that are exposed to moisture.
“You may notice mud tunnels on the foundation walls in an unfinished area of the structure. You may notice paint peeling, bubbles, blisters or pinholes on walls in finished areas of the basement. You may also notice signs on the exterior where wood appears brittle and has the presence of mud within it, [like] window casings, corner boards or siding in contact with the ground,” Wilson said.
Identifying the telltale signs of termite damage
You can do a quarterly termite inspection on your own to look for early indications of a termite problem. Walk the outside and inside of your home, and try to access unfinished areas — such as crawl spaces, utility closets and attics — to check for the following:
- Visible piles of termite droppings: Termites leave behind pellets or “frass” after consuming wood in your home. These look like small piles of sawdust on floors, window sills or furniture.
- Piles of termite wings: Termites shed their wings when they find a place to colonize. You might find piles of wings from a nearby colony.
- Flying insects in your home: In some cases, you might see swarms of termites inside your home, usually from the spring through the early summer. Have a professional inspect the problem, as it could be another flying insect, such as carpenter ants.
- Windows or doors that suddenly start sticking: If termites do significant damage to your home’s framing, your wall openings might have excess pressure on them. This can cause windows and doors to stick more than usual.
- Floorboards that suddenly start squeaking: Similarly, damage to floor joists can leave your floor with uneven support and unusual squeaking as a result.
- Small holes in your drywall: Termites sometimes chew small holes through drywall as a point of access or exit. You’ll typically find several holes near each other.
- Small tunnels on wood surfaces: Small, meandering pathways that look like they were scooped out of the surface of wood in your property could be left behind by feeding termites.
- Visibly damaged wood: If you have access to unfinished portions of your home, look for wood that is crumbling, soft, flaking or full of small holes to identify a termite infestation.
- Mud tubes: Termite mud tubes are made from soil and wood combined with termite saliva and used to connect termite colonies in the soil underground to their above-ground food sources
Types of termite species
There are three types of termite species: dampwood, drywood and subterranean.
- Dampwood termites: White, light brown or dark brown; 1/2” to 5/8” long; long and narrow with a round head
- Drywood termites: White or light brown; 3/8” to 1” long; long and narrow with a round head
- Subterranean termites: White or light brown; 1/8” long; long and narrow with a rectangular head
Dampwood termites target wood with a high moisture content, which you wouldn’t find in most homes, and drywood termites are only prevalent in a few states, mostly in the South. These termites feed on dead and rotting trees, fence posts and garden borders underground, and they eventually move on to wood inside your home, like rafters, joists and studs.
If you have a termite infestation, chances are you’re having an issue with subterranean termites. Within the subterranean species, there are a few variations that appear in different parts of the United States:
- California and Arizona: Desert subterranean, western subterranean
- East Coast: Eastern subterranean, dark southeastern subterranean
- Midwest: Arid-land subterranean, eastern subterranean
- New England: Eastern subterranean
- Pacific Northwest and Nevada: Western subterranean
- Rocky Mountain area: Arid-land subterranean
- South: Arid-land subterranean, Formosan
- Southeast: Eastern subterranean
- Southwest: Arid-land subterranean
- West coast: Arid-land subterranean, western subterranean
When to seek professional inspection
Termites can cause severe property damage if left untreated, eventually causing a loss of structural integrity and making your home unsafe. If you suspect you have a termite problem, you should immediately call a professional. Some of the more severe issues include:
- You notice swarms of termites or piles of wings or frass in your house
- You find soft or visibly damaged wood in an unfinished section of your house
- You find sagging floors or drooping ceilings without evidence of water damage
Wilson also recommends having an inspection done if you notice a source of moisture near or inside your home. “Usually, the source of most pest problems begins with damp conditions present somewhere on or around the structure, [often from] overflowing gutters, poor drainage, buried siding [or] leaking pipes.
Pest management professionals will know immediately during inspection if there is moisture present anywhere on the structure and make recommendations accordingly.”
Even if you don’t notice any of the symptoms above, implementing a preventive solution is one of the best ways to take a proactive approach to safeguarding your home against damage. A good option is usually to have a reliable termite company install bait stations around your home, which should include a contract for ongoing services.
Weighing DIY termite control vs. hiring a professional
Home improvement projects done by professionals can quickly get expensive, so trying DIY termite solutions from your local home improvement store might be tempting. Unfortunately, according to most pest professionals, including those from Ehrlich Pest Control, these products very often don’t work. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulates the use of termiticides that are proven to be effective, and, in most cases, they’re restricted to professional use.
Even non-chemical treatments often don’t go as planned for DIYers. Termites are pervasive pests that hide deep in the wood behind your walls, so fumigation and heat treatment should only ever be done by a pro.
How timely treatment can prevent costly repairs
The worst part about termite damage is that it worsens over time. Termites will continue to feed on the wood in your home, eventually leading to a loss of structural integrity. You could be looking at thousands or even tens of thousands of dollars in repairs to access the area, restore the structural integrity and build back around the area — that is, if a contractor can repair the damage.
Calling a professional immediately when you suspect an infestation is crucial for minimizing damage and repair costs. And the most cost-effective solution is often just paying for ongoing preventive termite treatments.
Choosing a termite treatment provider
Finding a reliable termite treatment company that has proper certification, licensing and experience dealing with termites is critical if you want the best results possible. It’s also a good idea to find a company with at least five to 10 years of experience in your specific area and one that has generally positive reviews online. You can also check the Better Business Bureau’s (BBB) website for a rating and a history of complaints.
Additionally, you should consider asking the following questions to qualify a pest control company in your area before agreeing to service:
- Are you fully licensed, certified and insured?
- What treatment options do you provide, and which do you specialize in?
- Do you offer contracts for ongoing treatment?
- Do you guarantee results?
Even if you find what you believe is a great company, we suggest getting at least three quotes for service so that you can find the best quality possible at an affordable price. This is especially true for ongoing termite prevention.
