Termite Control & Exterminator in Ballenger Creek MD

Home Termite Control Services in

Ballenger Creek MD

Environmental Pest Control is a termite exterminator in

Ballenger Creek MD

. We offer termite treatments and termite warranty plans to protect you year round. Termites are a problem no home or business owner in

Ballenger Creek MD

wants to face. These wood-chewing pests cause thousands of dollars in damage to a structure with little or no warning. If left unchecked, termites can destroy a home in 3 to 8 years! If you believe you may have termite damage then it is best to hire a professional termite for a thorough inspection.

What do Termites Look Like?

In general, termites typically measure between 1/4 and 1/2 of an inch long and have soft bodies with straight antennae. The queen termites are larger, capable of reaching over one inch long. Let’s look closer at what the three main termites look like:

1)Drywood Termites - The size of drywood termites range, depending on their age, from 1/4 inch to 1 inch long. Adult drywood termites have a thicker, oval-shaped waist, short legs and straight antennae with equal length wings. They are usually cream-white to light brown in color and have six legs.
2)Dampwood Termites - are generally brown in color, but can range from dark to light, and can even be reddish, especially towards their abdomens. Nymphs are cream-colored. Wings: When it's time for dampwood termites to swarm, their wings can be an identifying marker.
3)Subterranean Termites - have long, dark brown to almost black bodies and translucent, slightly milky-colored wings. Their bodies typically measure about ¼ to ½ inch in length and their wings may have a few barely visible hairs.

Are Termites Common in

Ballenger Creek MD

is in a moderate to heavy risk zone for subterranean termites making their prevention even more important to protect your home investment. In fact, real estate contract law requires that a termite or “wood destroying insect” inspection be conducted within 90 days of the settlement or closing of a home sale. This is why at Environmental Pest Control our goal is to give our clients peace of mind when it comes to the detection of, and control of, termites.

How to Get Rid of And Protect Against Termites in

Ballenger Creek MD

Liquid Termiticide Treatment – Used for active termite infestations. liquid termiticide treatments, or foam termiticide treatments, are performed by trenching, or digging, around the perimeter of the foundation of a home and applying a liquid chemical treatment. At Environmental we only use products that contain fipronil (9.1%), which is the highest quality ingredient on the market specifically designed for the treatment of termites. Common products that contain fipronil (9.1%) are Taurus and Termidor. The goal with the liquid treatment is to create a barrier around the home’s foundation which kills termites on contact. Liquid treatments are highly effective when termites are present in or up against the home. The life span of a liquid treatment is 7-10 years so it is best to retreat, or as we call it a “booster” treatment, every 5 years to ensure there is no lapse in active protection.
‍Bait Stations – Used for termite prevention when there is no active termite infestation. Bait stations are “tubes” that are planted into the ground, like a sprinkler head, and contain bait inside the tubes. The way baits work is that the termites find the bait station, come into contact with the bait, bringing it back to the termite colony, infecting the other termites, and killing the entire colony. This makes bait stations highly effective at seeking out and killing termite colonies that may be lurking underground around your property. Simply put, bait stations are great at protecting your home so that termites never get close to your home.

Environmental provides warranties for all of our termite services to provide peace of mind and value for our customers. Additionally, we have pest control programs that protect against termites and include year round protection from other insects and rodents.

What Are Signs of Termite Damage or Active Termite Infestation in Home?

To determine if you have a termite issue, or worse termite damage, here are some things to look for:

1) Swarming, flying termites in or around the house
2) Mud tubes on the foundation of the home
3) Termite droppings (frass)
4) Damaged or hollowed out wood
5) Cracked or bubbling paint
6) Small holes in drywall

Termites vs. Flying Ants? Which One do I have?

Every year, we commonly deal with customers who are concerned that they may have termites only to find out they are flying ants! So lets talk about the differences. To tell the difference, we need to focus on the termite wings. Termite wings are uniform (same size) and are twice the length of their body. Flying ants have front wings that are longer than the back wings (not same size) and their wings are in proportion to their body.

What Kinds of Termites Are There in

Ballenger Creek MD

There are three main types of Termites in the United States. Drywood termites feed off of dry wood and arefound in the pacific coastal region of the United States and down into SouthernCalifornia. The size of drywood termites range, depending on their age, from1/4 inch to 1 inch long. Adult drywood termites have a thicker, oval-shapedwaist, short legs and straight antennae with equal length wings. They areusually cream-white to light brown in color and have six legs. Dampwoodtermites feed on damp or wet wood and live in wet/humid climates such asFlorida, Washington, Idaho, etc...Lastly, Subterranean Termites, as the namealludes, live, work, and play below the surface. Subterranean termites are themost common termite in the United States being found in all states exceptAlaska.

Termite Control FAQ's

What areas do you service?

Please Click Here to see our entire MD, VA, and WV coverage areas.

What is the average cost for a termite treatment exterminator in the MD, VA, WV area?
What is the cost for a termite inspection?

Professional termite control and extermination costs vary widely depending on the market, the service type, the size of the structures to be treated, and if there is a warranty provided. costs for a termite exterminator vary from $400-$5,000. Price includes either liquid treatments (with or without drilling as needed) or bait station programs. Does not include fumigation. Most companies will perform a free termite inspection. We will. CLICK HERE to see a detail of our inspection process. CLICK HERE to see a complete list if average pest control prices.

How much is a home termite warranty? Are they worth it?

The average cost of a termite warranty $100-$300 per year. Our termite warranty includes the inspection and protection of your property and then a subsequent 1-year warranty. Each year termites cause $5 billion worth of damage in the USA. Buy a warranty from a reputable pest control company since prevention is much lower cost than treatment and damage repairs.

What happens if you find termites in my home? How do you exterminate them?

First, we identify the species, either eastern subterranean termites, dry wood Don’t panic! termites or Formosan subterranean termites. Next, we quote a professional and proven termite control and extermination treatment plan with a full warranty. There are 2 treatment options for termites – liquid perimeter treatment and bait stations - and Environmental offers both. For active termite infestations we use fipronil chemical (Taurus and/or Termidor) which is the highest quality chemical ingredient treatment on the market. Taurus and Termidor cannot be directly purchased or applied by homeowners. Environmental is a licensed pest control company that is authorized to purchase and safely apply the treatment. The life span of a fipronil chemical liquid termite treatment is 7-10 years.

Do you need a termite inspection to sell or refinance your house?

In order to sell or refinance a home in the states of Virginia, Maryland, West Virginia - in almost all cases - you must have a termite inspection. In most cases, the buyer pays for this “termite report”. In Virginia, it is the seller’s responsibility to provide a wood-destroying insect report (WDI inspection) that checks for termite and carpenter ant damage. Most lenders will require a termite inspection (referred to as an NPMA-33 inspection report issued by The National Pest Management Association) before approving your mortgage loan and closing. We can perform the Wood Destroying Insect Inspection and Report you need. Realtors and home owners CLICK HERE to schedule your WDI inspection.

Does homeowners’ insurance cover termite damage?

Home termite damage and removal is rarely covered by your homeowner's insurance according to the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. That's because termite damage is highly preventable via routine maintenance and inspection. Repair might be costly and require opening walls and flooring to replace weakened home foundations. Insurance companies usually don’t sell termite coverage, but Environmental Pest Control offers comprehensive warranties. Routine inspections are the best insurance you can buy!

What are the signs of termite damage?

Termites can be tough to discover before they cause significant damage. Termite damage happens slowly and over time. A colony of about 60,000 termites takes while to do significant damage but if undiscovered, the colony may grow to million and create a significant problem. To minimize damage, it’s crucial to catch the warning signs as soon as possible -preferably with annual termite inspections. Signs of a problem include: mud tubes on you foundation, flying termite swarms, rumbling or damaged wood, squeaky floorboards, peeling paint, hollow wood sounds when tapped, mounds of termite pellets or droppings, piles of wings, visible mazes in walls or furniture, swelling floors and ceilings.