You’ve decided to have your home fumigated for termites. The fumigators arrive, carefully drape your house in a large tent, and release the fumigant gas inside. From the outside, it looks like the house just sits there under the tent for a few days—but what actually happens next? How does the gas leave your home, and how do the fumigators safely remove the tent without being exposed to anything harmful?

Here’s the process: the day after the tent goes up, a representative from the fumigation company returns to your home to “aerate” it. They do this by removing what’s known as the fumigation cap. This cap seals the end of a short tube made from the same tenting material. When the cap is opened, the gas—being lighter than air—naturally escapes through the tube and dissipates harmlessly into the atmosphere.

The following day, the fumigators return once more to take air-quality readings inside the home. Only when the air is confirmed to be safe for re-entry will they remove the tent. This multi-step process ensures that both the technicians and the homeowners are protected from exposure to the fumigant.