What Not to Do When It Comes to Termites
Let’s say you find a pile of termite droppings on your floor. You clean them up, hoping it’s nothing—but they come back the next day. If you’re new to this, you might not be sure what to do. So here’s a list of what not to do:
Don’t Wait
If something seems off and you think it might be termites, call a termite company. Inspections are usually free. Maybe you’ve had a bad experience before—someone tried to upsell you, and you hate feeling pressured. That’s fair. Get at least three companies out. One of them should stand out. Don’t be afraid to say no, and if you find someone you trust, hang on to their info. You’ll probably need them again.
Waiting only gives the problem time to grow. What could’ve been solved with a simple, local treatment might now require fumigation. Or maybe it’s not termites at all—I’ve had plenty of calls where it turned out to be crickets or some other insect. Better to find out.
Don’t DIY
You might think, “Of course he’s against me grabbing a can of termite killer from the hardware store.” But here’s the deal: over-the-counter sprays only kill on contact. If you miss even a few termites, the survivors will retreat deeper into your wood. Their queen keeps laying eggs, and soon, it’s like you did nothing.
Professional-grade termiticides work differently. Termites don’t detect them. They walk through the treatment, bring it back to the colony, and spread it around through grooming and feeding. It doesn’t kill them instantly—so it reaches more termites before it starts working. That’s how you eliminate the colony.
Don’t Tell the Inspector You Want to Tent
Telling an inspector, “I think I need to tent,” can backfire. It often leads to a minimal inspection: “Well, they’re going to tent anyway,” the thinking goes, “why crawl to every corner?” And I get it—you’re thinking, “Why make someone crawl around if I’m going to kill everything?”
Here’s why:
- You need to know where the termites were and what damage they caused.
- If you plan to repair the wood, you’ll want to know what’s damaged.
- After fumigation, a good company will clean up the droppings—attic, garage, crawlspace—so you’re not left guessing whether it’s old evidence or something new.
- And most importantly, whatever made you think you need to tent might be the only area with activity. Why go through the hassle of moving out, bagging your food, and paying more if a localized treatment would’ve solved it?
Don’t Panic
No, your house isn’t going to fall down. (Unless you live in an area with formosan termites—those are a different beast.) Here in San Diego, we mostly deal with drywood and subterranean termites. Yes, they can cause expensive damage, but not the kind that collapses homes.
Just call a termite company, take care of the issue, and keep your home on a full-structure termite warranty. That way, you get annual inspections and free local treatments when needed. If you stay on top of it, you’ll be just fine.