Termites · North Arkansas
Termites don't knock. We look anyway.
Almost every termite job in North Arkansas is the eastern subterranean termite. They live in the soil, come up through the foundation and eat your house from the inside of the wood out. Most people never see one until the spring swarm.
- Size
- About 1/4 inch
- Swarm season
- Feb to May
- Where
- Soil, sills, joists
- Risk
- Structural damage
Signs
How to tell you've got termites
Termites stay hidden, so you're looking for what they leave behind. If you see any of these, call before you start pulling wood apart.
- Swarmers inside, usually in springDozens of small black winged insects near a window or door, often on a warm day after rain. Swarmers inside the house mean the colony is in or under the house.
- Piles of wingsSwarmers drop their wings once they land. Look on windowsills, in light fixtures and in spider webs. The wings are all the same size and look like tiny fish scales.
- Mud tubesPencil-wide tunnels of dirt running up the foundation, piers or block walls. Termites build them so they can travel out of the open air. Break one open; if it's rebuilt in a few days, they're active.
- Wood that sounds hollowTap baseboards, door frames and porch posts with a screwdriver handle. Damaged wood sounds papery, and the screwdriver may go right in.
- Bubbling paint or sagging floorsPaint that blisters like water damage, doors that suddenly stick, or a soft spot in the floor can all be termites working under the surface.
Where they hide
Where they get in
Subterranean termites need contact with soil and moisture. They come up through cracks in the slab, along plumbing, up piers in the crawlspace and anywhere wood touches the ground.
Porches, decks and stairs that cover part of an outside wall are the classic blind spot. Termites can get into the house behind them without leaving a single sign you can see from the yard.
Crawlspaces with standing water, wet insulation or wood scraps left from the builder are the other big one. Dry it out and clean it up and you've taken away half of what they want.
Know what you've got
Termite or flying ant?
Both swarm in spring and both have wings, so they get mixed up all the time. Three things tell them apart.
Eastern subterranean termite
Straight, beaded antennae. A thick waist with no pinch. Four wings, all the same length, that hang well past the body. Workers are pale and soft and you'll only see them if you open up damaged wood.
Flying ant
Antennae bent like an elbow. A pinched, wasp-like waist. Front wings longer than the back ones. Carpenter ants swarm too, and they do damage wood, so a big black flying ant inside is still worth a look.
Buying or selling?
Need a termite letter for closing?
We do the wood destroying insect inspection lenders ask for, and write the letter for your closing.
How termite letters workOur process
How we treat termites
Every job starts with a free inspection. Most homes end up on our quarterly plan, which includes free re-treats between visits. See the plans.
Free inspection
We go around the outside, under the house and through the inside looking for active termites, old damage, moisture and wood touching soil. Then we measure the house, because treatment is priced by the size of the structure.
A plan for your house
We go over what we found and what we'd do: a liquid treatment in the soil around the foundation, bait stations, or both, depending on how the house is built. Confirm which products and methods to name.
Treatment
We schedule it when it suits you. Most treatments are done from outside and under the house, so you don't have to leave.
Termite policy
Keep a policy on the house and we come back each year to inspect it. If termites show up again, we treat again. Confirm what the policy covers and the yearly renewal price.
Before we get there
What you can do today
- Keep mulch and soil a few inches below the bottom of your siding.
- Move firewood and lumber away from the house and off the ground.
- Fix leaky outside faucets and make sure gutters drain away from the foundation.
- Keep crawlspace vents open and clear in summer.
What not to do
- Don't spray swarmers with bug spray and call it done. The colony is still under the house.
- Don't tear out damaged wood before we've seen it. It helps us find where they're coming in.
FAQ
Termites questions
Does homeowners insurance cover termite damage?
Almost never. Most policies treat termites as a maintenance problem, which is why a termite policy and a yearly inspection are worth having in Arkansas.
I found swarmers inside. Is it an emergency?
It's not a tonight problem, but don't sit on it either. Swarmers die within a day or so. Save a few in a zip bag or jar so we can confirm what they are, and call us for an inspection.
How long does a termite treatment last?
It depends on the method and the house. A soil treatment protects for years, but the soil gets disturbed by new landscaping, additions and plumbing work. That's why we inspect every year on a policy.
Do I need a termite letter to sell my house?
Many lenders want one before closing, especially on VA, FHA and USDA loans. See our termite letter page for how it works.
Keep reading
Other pests we treat
Think you've got termites?
We'll come out, find what you've got, and tell you what it takes. No charge, no pressure.