How Much Does Termite Treatment Cost on Long Island? What Sets the Price

Because tenting is for a termite we do not have. Rutgers says all naturally occurring termites in the northeastern United States are subterranean termites, and the USDA's bulletin places drywood termites in the Atlantic coastal states south of Virginia, Florida, the Gulf Coast, and the Pacific Coast. UC IPM explains that drywood termites nest in wood and do not require soil contact, which is why fumigating the whole structure works on them, and that subterranean termites cannot be controlled by fumigation because the reproductives are concentrated in nests near or below ground level. If someone quotes you a tent on Long Island, get a second opinion.

Scope. A full treatment creates a continuous treated soil zone around the entire foundation. A partial treatment does the same thing in the section where activity was found. The EPA describes the soil-applied barrier treatment as the most common technique, and Penn State lists what the work involves: trenching of soil and drilling of concrete slabs, porches, and patios to reach the soil. NC State gives the application rate the labels call for, 4 gallons per 10 linear feet per foot of depth, which is why the linear footage drives the quote.

A full treatment is more work and a longer guarantee. A partial is less of both. Which one makes sense depends on where the activity is and how the house is built, and we explain the choice in the quote rather than just picking the bigger number.

Inspection to locate the activity and conducive conditions. Trenching along the foundation where soil is exposed. Drilling through slabs, stoops, and patios where it is not, with holes patched afterward; Rutgers describes holes drilled every 12 inches. Liquid termiticide applied at label rate to create the treated zone. Where baiting fits better, EPA describes systems that rely on cellulose baits containing a slow-acting insecticide. Then the written guarantee and a follow-up inspection.

How long it lasts: Kentucky's fact sheet says all liquid termiticides are supposed to control termites for at least five years when applied according to label directions, and Rutgers says the soil treatment can be effective for more than 5 years. The guarantee is 1 or 2 years; the treatment outlasts it.

Mud tubes, hollow wood, and swarmers. UC IPM says shelter tubes, often called mud tubes, are the most commonly seen evidence, and that darkening or blistering of structural wood is another sign. EPA says to examine exposed wood for hollow spots. Cornell notes the appearance of winged termites suggests the colony has been present for a few years.

Tell the swarmers from ants. Kentucky's rule: termites have straight antennae, a uniformly thick waist, and wings of equal size; ants have elbowed antennae, pinched waists, and front wings longer than the hind wings. Cornell puts spring swarms from February to May.

You can spray the ones you see, and it will not help. NC State says spraying swarmers or the surface of infested wood kills the termites you see now but does not stop the infestation, and UC IPM says do-it-yourself termite pesticides are generally not effective. The reason is scale: UC IPM says mature colonies can contain hundreds of thousands of individuals, and the USDA notes a colony over 5 or 6 years old may contain from several thousand to over a million termites. The EPA's summary is that in most cases termiticide application can only be properly performed by a trained pest management professional. In New York, category 7C certification from the DEC is what covers termite work.

The damage keeps going, quietly. Mississippi State Extension says workers remain active year round, eating 24 hours a day, and the USDA explains that workers avoid exposure to air by constructing galleries within the materials they attack, which is why you do not see it. NC State puts serious damage at about 3 to 8 years of infestation, and Penn State says that when structural damage becomes apparent it is usually the result of years of infestation. EPA's national figure is billions of dollars in structural damage every year. Waiting does not make the treatment cheaper; it adds a repair bill on top of it.