Yearly Termite Control – Why It’s Essential to Prevent Infestations

How Often Should You Have a Termite Inspection?

Termites can remain hidden inside wood, walls, crawl spaces, and soil. By the time visible damage appears, an infestation may have been present for a considerable period.

Regular inspections can help find evidence before the damage becomes more extensive. However, termite inspections and termite treatments are not the same thing. Most homes do not need to be treated every year unless an inspection identifies a problem or an existing treatment program requires monitoring.

How Frequently Should a Home Be Inspected?

UC Integrated Pest Management generally recommends having a home inspected for termites every three to five years.

Your home may need to be inspected sooner if:

• It has a history of termite infestations.
• You find drywood termite pellets.
• Termites swarm inside the building.
• You discover discarded termite wings indoors.
• Mud tubes appear along the foundation or walls.
• Wood becomes soft, blistered, or visibly damaged.
• Plumbing or roof leaks have created excess moisture.
• The home is being sold or refinanced.
• A previous treatment warranty requires an inspection.

Homes with accessible wood, moisture problems, wood-to-soil contact, or previous termite damage may require closer attention.

Does a Termite Inspection Prevent Infestations?

An inspection does not prevent termites from entering a home. Its purpose is to locate visible evidence of termites, termite damage, and conditions that may make an infestation more likely.

A professional inspection may identify:

• Drywood termite pellets and kick-out holes
• Subterranean termite mud tubes
• Swarmers or discarded wings
• Damaged structural or decorative wood
• Wood that is in direct contact with soil
• Plumbing or drainage problems
• Areas that cannot be fully inspected

Termites may remain concealed inside inaccessible areas, so no visual inspection can guarantee that every termite will be found. Nevertheless, periodic inspections improve the chances of discovering visible evidence before damage becomes more extensive.

Is Yearly Termite Treatment Necessary?

Termite treatment should be based on inspection findings—not automatically performed every year.

Drywood and subterranean termites behave differently and require different control methods. Applying the wrong treatment may fail to address the infestation.

Depending on the findings, treatment options may include:

• Localized treatment of accessible drywood termite infestations
• Whole-structure fumigation for widespread or inaccessible drywood termites
• Soil treatment for subterranean termites
• Subterranean termite baiting systems
• Removal and replacement of damaged or infested wood

Whole-structure fumigation controls drywood termites inside the building, but it does not eliminate subterranean termite colonies living in the soil. Likewise, a subterranean termite soil treatment is not a substitute for treating drywood termites inside structural wood.

Warning Signs That Should Not Wait

Do not wait for your next regularly scheduled inspection if you discover possible termite evidence.

Contact a professional after finding:

Drywood Termite Pellets

Drywood termites eject small, hard, six-sided pellets from openings in infested wood. Pellets show that drywood termites have occupied the wood, although pellets alone cannot establish whether the infestation is currently active.

Swarmers or Discarded Wings

Winged termites leave mature colonies to establish new ones. Swarmers emerging indoors or piles of matching wings near windows and doors should be investigated. Termites swarming outside do not necessarily mean the building is infested.

Mud Tubes

Subterranean termites construct earth-colored shelter tubes between the soil and wooden portions of a building. Removing the visible tube will not eliminate the underground colony.

Damaged Wood

Soft, hollow, blistered, or easily punctured wood may indicate termite activity. It can also result from moisture, decay, or another wood-destroying organism, so professional identification is important.

How to Reduce Termite Risks

No preventive measure can guarantee that a home will remain termite-free. However, homeowners can reduce conditions that make termite activity more likely:

• Repair plumbing and roof leaks promptly.
• Maintain proper drainage around the foundation.
• Keep structural wood from contacting the soil.
• Remove scrap lumber and buried wood near the building.
• Store firewood away from the house.
• Keep crawl spaces dry and properly ventilated.
• Maintain exterior paint and sealants.
• Repair damaged roofing, siding, fascia, and trim.

These measures do not replace an inspection or treatment when termites are already present.

Schedule a Termite Inspection in Southern California

Tiger Termite Control has provided termite inspections, treatments, fumigation, and termite damage repairs since 1997.

If you have discovered possible termite evidence or cannot remember when your property was last inspected, call Tiger Termite Control at (909) 597-6953.

Free estimates are available when the property is not being sold or refinanced.

Updated September 2026.