Even the slightest hint of termites means you may need to act fast. Termites aren’t just a nuisance—they can be a budget-ruiner. These pests cause $5 billion a year of damage across homes in the U.S. When you do seek treatment, you have to know how long it will last. You don’t want to risk termites coming back and attacking your home all over again.
This Old House has rounded up all the information you need to know about how long the most popular, effective, and efficient termite treatments last. Our Reviews Team recommends hiring a professional pest control company to apply these treatments.
How Long Termite Treatments Last
On average, termite treatment lasts about 5 years. Liquid termite treatment can last five years or more, whereas termite bait stations only last one year and need to be maintained annually.
Liquid Termite Treatments
These termite treatments last for five years on average. For this treatment, a termite specialist will dig a trench around the perimeter of your home and apply the liquid treatment in it. That’s not to say termites will never find their way across, even in five years. It’s possible some can make their way into your home if there are any gaps in the chemical barrier. Annual termite inspections can help prevent this risk.
Termite Bait Stations
In order to be effective, termite bait stations need to be monitored and maintained year-round. A specialist will place the baits strategically around your property. Termites will take the bait while foraging, and bring the poisonous bait back to their colony, infecting the other termites. However, it could take months for termites to come across the bait stations, so it may take multiple weeks to eliminate the colony.
What Factors Influence How Long Termite Treatments Last?
Those are the average lengths of time the treatments are effective, but the longevity can vary.
Type of Termite
The type of termite can affect the length. Subterranean termites and drywood termites are the most common. Subterranean termites live in the soil around houses and build tunnel networks to access their food—the wood that your house is made of. Drywood termites, on the other hand, tunnel within your wood and eat right through it.
Degree of Infestation
The degree of infestation is a major factor. The larger the termite colony, the longer it will take to eradicate. The level of expertise your termite specialist has will have a big influence since it can determine how complete the application is.
Home Environment
Your home’s set-up also contributes to the longevity of the treatment. Your termite specialist will need to access all the wood components of your home. If these elements are inaccessible or harder to reach, the treatment won’t last as long.
Frequently Asked Questions
Our Rating Methodology
The This Old House Reviews Team backs up our pest control recommendations with a detailed rating methodology that we use to objectively score each provider. We review pest control plans, navigate the provider website, speak with customer service representatives by phone and online chat (if available), request quotes, and analyze customer reviews for each provider. We then score the provider against our review standards for plan options, additional benefits and convenience factors, availability, trustworthiness, and customer service to arrive at a final score out of 100.
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