Jun 12, 2020 | Termite Control
Swarming termites are also known as alates. Swarming termites are usually a seasonal nuisance as they cannot bite, sting, or even chew wood. While they don’t usually cause damage themselves, they do, however, indicate that there is an established colony nearby. These seasoned termites are capable of causing extensive damage to your home.
When dealing with swarming termites there are three important questions to ask: When do they swarm? Where do they swarm? Why do they swarm?
When Do They Swarm?
Termite swarming season varies by species. Subterranean termites swarm during daylight hours in the spring. Drywood termites swarm in late summer to early fall. Dampwood termites swarm in the summer. Most species of termites have specific conditions they wait for in order to start swarming. They usually wait for the day after a rainstorm, overcast weather, and wind speeds less than 6 mph.
Where Do They Swarm?
Swarming termites are found anywhere termites colonize. Termites can swarm indoors or outdoors, although they cannot survive indoors as there is no soil for them to create their colonies in. Swarming termites are attracted to light and are often found near windows and light fixtures. As termites get ready to swarm, they prepare a swarm tube which they use to launch. When the conditions are right, they use the tube to swarm. After a brief flight which lasts for only a few seconds, they land and break their wings away from their bodies. They then pair with a mate. Those pairs that survive then create a chamber underground that they use to breed and the new colony is formed. Swarm launches are usually spread out over a few days with a large release on the first day and smaller launches on subsequent days.
Why Do They Swarm?
The sole purpose of termite swarms is reproduction and expansion of the colony. The original termite colony reaches capacity and needs to expand. This is usually done once per year, hence termite swarming season. Both males and females swarm at this time. The number of termites that swarms each season varies depending on the size of the colony and the species of the termite.
Because a termite swarm indicates a nearby colony, homeowners should take precaution when one is spotted nearby. A thorough inspection of your home and property should be performed looking for signs of termites. This is also a good time to set up your annual termite inspection if you haven’t already. If you suspect you have a termite infestation, contact a professional pest control company who can inspect your property and set up a termite control plan.
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Jan 9, 2020 | Termite Control
Home projects ramp up with the new year; out with old and in with new renovations. One thing homeowners should consider is pest protection that secures not only those new projects, but also their largest investment: their home.
Termites work in secret: staying out of sight, tunneling underneath homes, or even worse, inside the home’s structure. Depending on the region where the home is located, weather will play a crucial role in the type of termite species that can invade.
Subterranean termites are considered to be one of the most destructive types of termites. Found in every state in the U.S., they use “mud tubes” from the ground reaching up to the structure. They work to damage structures, weakening them bit by bit by eating 24 hours a day, every day.
Formosan termites are the most destructive of the subterranean species. Working and invading from the ground up, Formosans make up large colonies. Found mostly in the southeast, they can chew through insulation, utility poles, and even wires and cables.
Drywood termites are the sneakiest species as they do not need soil to survive. They are brought into homes in wood furniture, so caution and careful inspection should be taken when purchasing secondhand furniture.
Homeowners should take special care to eliminate areas of moisture as this is a huge attractant to the home for termites. An annual termite inspection with a licensed pest control company is highly recommended to find areas of damage and potential infestation sites and determine a proper prevention and treatment plan.
Dec 20, 2019 | Alabama Blogs, Georgia Blogs, Termite Control
By Anna V., Editorial Lead — Pest Education · Last updated: May 2026
Termites cause an estimated $5 billion in property damage across the U.S. every year, and the Southeast accounts for a disproportionate share because of our warm, humid climate. At Northwest, we inspect for termites year-round across Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and South Carolina, and the pattern we see over and over is the same: homeowners assume they’re either lucky or unlucky when it comes to termites. They’re neither. Termite damage is largely preventable, and the homes that get hit hardest almost always have one or more risk factors that could have been addressed years earlier.
Here’s the full termite prevention playbook for Southeast homes, including the conditions that attract termites, the DIY steps that actually move the needle, when professional treatment is worth it, and how often you should be inspecting.
Mud tubes on a foundation wall are the most reliable early warning sign of subterranean termite activity.
Why Termite Prevention Is Essential in the Southeast
Three facts make termite prevention non-optional for Southeast homeowners:
- Eastern subterranean termites are present in every county of Georgia and Alabama. They’re not a “what if,” they’re a “when.” The question for most homes isn’t whether termites are nearby, it’s whether your house has the conditions that let them in.
- Damage is usually invisible until it’s significant. Termites work inside wood from the interior outward. By the time you can see visible damage on a wall, sub-floor, or window frame, you’re typically looking at thousands of dollars in repair on top of treatment.
- Most homeowner insurance does not cover termite damage. Repair costs come out of your pocket. Average treatment + repair for a moderate infestation in the Southeast runs $3,000 to $8,000.
Common entry points: wood-to-soil contact around the foundation, cracks in slab foundations or concrete blocks, expansion joints, leaky pipes or excessive moisture, mulch or firewood piled against exterior walls, and gaps where utility lines penetrate the foundation.
Identifying Termite Risk Factors on Your Property
Four risk factors account for most Southeast termite calls. Fix these and you remove the conditions termites need.
Four conditions account for the majority of termite activity in Southeast homes. If you have one or more of these, you’re at elevated risk regardless of what neighbors are seeing.
1. Moisture and Water Issues
Subterranean termites need consistent moisture to survive. Anything that creates a damp microclimate near or under your home raises the risk:
- Leaky exterior faucets, hose bibs, or irrigation lines
- Clogged or missing gutters that dump water at the foundation
- Landscaping graded toward the house rather than away from it
- Air conditioner condensate lines that discharge near the foundation
- Plumbing leaks under sinks, in crawl spaces, or in slab penetrations
2. Wood-to-Soil Contact
Wherever wood touches soil directly, you’ve given termites a no-effort entry path:
- Wooden deck posts set directly in the ground without concrete footers
- Wooden fence posts touching the house
- Wood siding that extends below grade level
- Trellises or arbors attached to the house with the base in soil or mulch
- Wooden steps or porch supports without termite shields
3. Clutter and Yard Debris
Debris near the foundation provides food, shelter, and a launching point for termite colonies:
- Firewood stacked against the house or within 20 feet of the foundation
- Cardboard boxes, lumber, or pallets stored next to the house
- Leaf piles and yard waste against exterior walls
- Old tree stumps within 20 feet of the foundation (subterranean termites love decaying stumps)
4. Landscaping Decisions
Mulch is great for gardens but problematic near foundations:
- Maintain a 2- to 3-foot gap between mulch and the foundation
- Use pea gravel or river rock in the 2-foot zone immediately adjacent to the foundation
- Trim shrubs back from exterior walls (dense vegetation traps moisture and hides mud tubes)
- Avoid heavy irrigation right at the foundation
DIY Termite Prevention Tips
Most prevention work is structural and seasonal. Done right, these steps significantly lower your risk without specialized equipment.
Regular Inspections
Walk your property twice a year (spring and fall) and look for:
- Mud tubes (pencil-thick brown tunnels) running up foundation walls or in crawl spaces
- Wood that sounds hollow when tapped or has blistering paint
- Small piles of what looks like sawdust or fine pellets near wood structures (frass from drywood termites or carpenter ants)
- Discarded wings near windows or doors after a warm rainy day (termite swarmer evidence)
- Sagging or warped flooring that wasn’t there before
Moisture Control
- Clean gutters twice a year and install gutter guards if you have heavy tree cover
- Add downspout extensions to direct water 4+ feet from the foundation
- Run a dehumidifier in basements and conditioned crawl spaces (target 50% RH or below)
- Fix any plumbing leak within 48 hours
- Re-grade landscaping if water pools near the foundation after rain
Remove Wood and Debris Near the Home
- Move firewood to a rack at least 20 feet from the house and elevated off the ground
- Remove old tree stumps within 20 feet of the foundation
- Store lumber, cardboard, and yard tools off the ground in a shed or garage
- Rake fallen leaves away from foundation walls
Natural Deterrents (Supplementary Only)
These don’t replace professional treatment for active infestations but can complement prevention:
- Orange oil or neem oil treatments on exposed exterior wood
- Diatomaceous earth along the foundation perimeter (works on a range of pests including some termites)
- Borate-based wood preservatives on accessible structural wood (decks, fences)
Professional Termite Prevention Methods
For Southeast homes, professional termite prevention is the highest-ROI structural investment most homeowners make. It’s also the only thing that meaningfully protects against a heavy subterranean termite year.
Chemical Barrier (Liquid Termiticide) Treatments
Pest control technicians trench around the foundation and apply a long-lasting termiticide (typically fipronil or imidacloprid) into the soil. This creates a continuous chemical barrier that subterranean termites can’t cross to reach the structure. Modern non-repellent termiticides are particularly effective because the termites don’t detect them and carry the active ingredient back to the colony, often eliminating it. Typical protection lasts 5 to 10 years.
Termite Bait Systems
In-ground bait stations placed around the foundation contain cellulose attractive to subterranean termites. Foraging termites find the bait, share it with the colony through grooming and food exchange, and the active ingredient (typically hexaflumuron or chlorfluazuron) disrupts molting and eliminates the colony. Sentricon and similar systems require ongoing monitoring (typically quarterly or annually) and offer long-term colony elimination rather than just a barrier.
Inspection and Monitoring Services
Professional inspections detect early signs homeowners miss: subterranean mud tubes in inaccessible crawl spaces, drywood damage inside wall voids, moisture issues that create termite-favorable microclimates. Annual inspections are the minimum recommendation for Southeast homes. Twice yearly is more appropriate for homes with risk factors or in heavily wooded areas.
When to Call a Professional Immediately
- Mud tubes on the foundation, in crawl spaces, or inside the home
- Discarded swarmer wings near windows or doors
- Hollow-sounding or visibly damaged wood
- Frass (fine wood-colored pellets) near wood structures
- Sagging floors or doors that suddenly don’t close properly
- You’re buying a home in the Southeast (a pre-purchase termite inspection is essentially required by every reputable lender)
Carpenter Ants vs Termites: Don’t Confuse Them
Carpenter ants and termites both damage wood, but they’re different pests with different treatments. Homeowners often confuse the two:
- Termites eat wood for nutrition. Damage looks smooth and follows the wood grain. Bodies are pale/cream-colored with straight antennae and equal-length wings (in swarmers). They build mud tubes.
- Carpenter ants excavate wood for nesting (they don’t eat it). Damage looks like clean tunnels with sawdust-like frass nearby. Bodies are dark, segmented, with bent antennae and wings of unequal length. No mud tubes.
Both warrant professional treatment, but the methods differ. If you’re unsure which you’re dealing with, see our ants in the kitchen guide for carpenter ant identification details.
Seasonal and Regional Considerations
A foundation with proper drainage, mulch clearance, and no wood-to-soil contact is the structural baseline for termite prevention.
Termite activity follows distinct seasonal patterns in the Southeast:
- Late winter through spring (February-May): Peak swarming season. Subterranean termite swarmers emerge after warm rains, mate, and start new colonies. Most homeowner discoveries happen during this window.
- Summer (June-August): Colonies are at maximum foraging activity. Damage progresses fastest during these months.
- Fall (September-November): Reduced swarming but continued foraging. Good time for prevention work because next year’s swarmers haven’t emerged yet.
- Winter (December-February): Slowed but not dormant in the deep South. Indoor heated environments can keep populations active year-round.
Schedule professional inspections in late winter (January-February) so you catch any new activity before peak swarming season.
Termite Prevention Cost vs Damage Cost
A perspective on the math:
- Annual termite inspection: $75 to $200
- Initial liquid termiticide treatment (typical Southeast home): $1,200 to $2,500
- Bait system installation: $1,500 to $3,000, plus $300 to $600 annual monitoring
- Average damage repair from moderate infestation: $3,000 to $8,000
- Severe damage repair (structural beams, sub-floors): $10,000 to $25,000+
Prevention almost always costs less than treatment + repair, often by a factor of 5 to 10x. For a deeper authoritative reference, UGA Extension’s subterranean termite management guide covers the biology and treatment options in technical detail.
(Worried about termites or due for an inspection? Schedule a free Northwest inspection and we’ll assess your risk factors and recommend the right protection level.)
Frequently Asked Questions About Termite Prevention
Can termites be prevented entirely?
No method is 100% foolproof, but the combination of structural prevention (sealing entry points, controlling moisture, maintaining wood-to-soil separation), professional barrier or bait treatment, and regular inspections reduces risk by an enormous margin. Properly protected Southeast homes are very rarely the ones we see with serious termite damage.
How often should I have a termite inspection?
Annual inspections are the minimum for Southeast homes. Twice yearly (spring and fall) is more appropriate for homes with elevated risk factors (heavily wooded lots, moisture issues, older construction, history of prior termite activity). Pre-purchase termite inspections are essentially required when buying or selling a home in our region.
Are DIY prevention methods effective?
Yes for risk reduction, no as a complete substitute for professional treatment. DIY moisture control, debris removal, wood-to-soil separation, and structural maintenance significantly lower the conditions termites need to establish. Professional treatment (liquid barrier or bait system) is what actually protects against active subterranean colonies that exist in your soil regardless of what you do at the surface.
What’s the best way to protect a new home?
New construction in the Southeast benefits enormously from pre-construction termiticide application (the slab and footings are treated before concrete is poured) or physical barrier installation. Ongoing annual inspections and proper landscaping maintenance preserve that protection. Many Southeast builders include the initial treatment, but the long-term maintenance is on the homeowner.
What does a termite inspection actually involve?
A thorough inspection covers the foundation perimeter (interior and exterior), crawl spaces, basements, accessible attic space, plumbing penetrations, exterior wood structures (decks, porches, fences attached to the home), and any moisture issues. Inspectors look for active mud tubes, damaged wood, frass, discarded wings, and conducive conditions. A typical inspection takes 45 to 90 minutes depending on home size.
Most termite damage starts in places homeowners can’t easily see.
Schedule a Termite Inspection Today
If you haven’t had a termite inspection in over a year, you’re seeing any of the warning signs above, or you’re buying a home in the Southeast, Northwest’s team handles the full termite workflow: inspection, treatment selection, application, and ongoing monitoring. Most termite protection programs pay for themselves many times over in avoided damage.
About the Author
Anna V., Editorial Lead — Pest Education leads pest education content for Northwest Exterminating, working with senior technicians and service center managers across our Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and South Carolina service areas to translate field expertise into homeowner-friendly guides. The focus: accurate, regionally-specific answers to the pest questions Southeast homeowners are actually searching for.
Sep 13, 2019 | Termite Control
Termites can wreak havoc on a home without the homeowner even realizing it. By the time their presence is realized, the damage is extensive and costly. Termite colonies don’t just consist of hundreds of termites – they number in the millions! Termites can invade any type of home whether it is brick, stucco, wood, or other material. Termites will eat any material that contains cellulose, not just wood. These materials include cellulose insulation, framing timbers, and even drywall. An annual termite inspection can help prevent these devastating infestations by catching and eradicating them early, preventing significant damage and saving money in treatment and repair costs.
Termite inspections will typically begin with the inspector examining all possible points of entry to the home looking for common signs of termites. These signs include mud shelter tubes (pencil sized tubes termites use to travel), piles of frass (termite excrement), termite mazes on walls, discarded wings, etc. The inspector will also use a tool to gently tap on the interior and exterior walls of the home listening for hollow-sounding wood which in another sign of termite damage. The inspector will then check the exterior of the home, including crawlspaces, to check for wood to soil contact which is the easiest way for termites to gain access to a home. Wood to soil contact could be a stack of firewood that is too close to the home or deck posts not set in concrete. The inspector will also check trees, stumps, wooden retaining walls, fences, sheds, detached garages, and any other structures on the property. They will then notify you of their findings and recommend termite treatment options.
The best way to protect your home from termites is with a termite bond. This is a termite warranty between the termite company and the homeowner that is similar to a maintenance contract. They are usually made up of two components: an agreement for termite inspections during the lifetime of the bond and an agreement to provide termite control and treatment if termites are discovered. Bonds are especially important in real estate transactions. Most lenders will at a minimum require a termite inspection. Securing a termite bond provides you with a level of termite protection that can help you qualify for loans and also improve the marketability of your home.
If you suspect you have termites in your home or just want to be proactive in making sure these pests don’t invade your property, contact a professional termite control company and set up your annual termite inspection to give you peace of mind.
Apr 12, 2019 | Termite Control
Termites can be a homeowner’s worst nightmare. Termites do their damage from the inside out and they often aren’t detected until after significant destruction has already been done. The signs of termites are often difficult to find until colonies are well established. In fact, termites cause an estimated $5 billion in damages each year in the United States. Yet many people still question if termite protection is worth the cost.
Structural damage caused by termites is the most expensive with an average cost of $3,000 for repairs. This amount varies depending on the extent and location of the damage that is caused. In addition to the structural damage caused by termites, cosmetic damage can also require repairs, costing an estimated $2,000 to fix things like discolored sheetrock, buckled floors, and peeling paint. This amount also varies depending on the materials that were damaged and the materials used to repair or replace it.
Termites must be exterminated before any repairs are done. The cost of a termite treatment not only include the termiticides or baits used in the treatment, but also the labor, training, and service hours for the termite exterminator. The average cost of termite control is $4 to $7 per linear square foot of your home. This estimate also varies based on the type of termite warranty provided, the location of your home, and the type of treatment required.
Unfortunately, most homeowner’s insurance policies do not cover termite damage and sellers are usually responsible for covering termite damage during the sale of a home. This can vary so it is always a good idea to check your state regulations. This also usually includes a termite inspection prior to the sale of the home.
Knowing the potential costs of termite damage and repair is reason enough to invest in termite protection. What options do homeowners have when a homeowner’s policy doesn’t cover termite damage? A termite bond or termite warranty is your best bet. A termite bond is a warranty between a homeowner and a termite company that functions as a maintenance contract for termite prevention, damage, and repair. Termite warranties vary by company, but they generally include an agreement for annual (or more often) termite inspections during the lifetime of the warranty, an agreement to provide treatment if termites are discovered (often at no additional charge to the homeowner), and in some cases an agreement to repair damages. Not all homes, however, qualify for these repair bonds so always check with your termite control provider about this.
A termite warranty provides you with peace of mind against termite damage. The warranty guarantees that the pest control company will continuously inspect your home and make sure that new infestations are discovered before they can proliferate. Termite warranties are also beneficial when buying or selling a home as they are often required before a sale can occur. Lenders will often not approve mortgages for at-risk homes without a termite bond. Only certified pest control companies can issue termite warranties. Yearly costs typically run $300-$400 for the warranty coverage, which includes the annual termite inspection.
Click here to schedule a free termite inspection.
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