Here’s how to get rid of termites: reach the colony, not just the termites you can see. That means confirming they’re termites, finding where they come up from the soil, and treating with a liquid soil treatment or a bait system. Then you fix the moisture and wood-to-soil contact that drew them in. There are no do-it-yourself termite control measures that work well, according to Missouri Extension, which says treatment should be done by a licensed professional.
Why so hard? The workers stay underground in a colony that can number around 250,000 (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension). Spraying the ones in a broken mud tube kills a handful. The rest keep eating.
First: are they termites?
Winged insects at a window in spring could be termites or flying ants. Termites have straight antennae, a thick waist and four wings of equal length. Our guide to termites vs ants shows how to tell in a minute. Mud tubes on the foundation, hollow wood and piles of shed wings point to termites; see the signs of termite damage.
Second: where are they getting in?
Eastern subterranean termites, the kind in New York, come up from the soil. Look where wood meets soil or concrete: sill plates, porch posts, basement stairs, framing set into the floor and the wood near boilers, water heaters and hot water pipes, which the New York State IPM Program says they favor. Mud tubes on the basement walls show the routes.
Third: choose a treatment
Two main treatments are used on subterranean termites, and both are jobs for a licensed professional:
- Liquid soil treatment. A termiticide is applied into the soil along the foundation, by trenching, rodding or drilling through slabs, to make a treated zone termites have to cross, according to Penn State Extension. It works within weeks, and most products stay active in soil for 5 to 8 years under normal conditions, Missouri Extension says. The trade-off: it takes a large amount of termiticide and can mean drilling through floors and porches, according to the University of Kentucky.
- Bait system. Stations around the building hold wood or cellulose with a slow-acting insecticide. Workers eat it and share it with the colony. Baits use very little pesticide and avoid drilling, but they’re slow: the University of Kentucky says elimination can take several months or longer, and the stations need regular checks.
Penn State notes that combining treatment with fixes to the building often works best. Ask any company which method it’s recommending for your building and why.
What about getting rid of termites naturally?
Most home remedies kill only the termites they touch. Vinegar, orange oil or boiling water on an open mud tube won’t reach the colony, and the University of California notes that most subterranean termites live in nests near or below the ground. The EPA says beneficial nematodes and fungi have shown some success, but mainly in the lab.
Store-bought bait stakes aren’t a fix either. The University of Kentucky says it isn’t proven that they protect a home, especially when homeowners install and maintain them, and termites feeding on stakes in the yard can still be eating the house. The product’s own label says it’s not meant as the only protection.
What does help: fixing the conditions. Pull wood away from the soil, fix leaks, dry out the basement and move firewood and mulch away from the walls. Our termite prevention checklist covers each step.
After treatment
- Replace damaged wood. The University of California notes that this is a job homeowners can take on, along with fixing what drew the termites in.
- Fix the cause. Moisture and wood touching soil will draw the next colony.
- Keep checking. Penn State notes that treatment failures happen, so follow-up inspections matter. Read how long termite treatment lasts for what to expect.
Here’s a simple example
Say a landlord in the Bronx finds mud tubes on the basement wall behind the boiler and a soft spot in a stair stringer. The super sprays the tubes with a can of bug spray and knocks them down. A week later, the tubes are back. That’s the colony rebuilding its route, because the spray never reached it. What ends it is a proper soil treatment or bait system along that wall, replacing the stringer, and fixing the leak that kept that corner damp.
When to call a professional
Call when you see mud tubes, swarmers indoors or soft, hollow wood. Termite damage builds slowly, so you rarely need to panic. But you do need a plan, and waiting only adds to the repair bill.
NYC Extermination starts with a free on-site inspection to confirm it’s termites, find where they’re active and see how far the damage goes. Then we go over a treatment plan and the cost with you before any work starts, treat the areas where termites are active and the routes they use with EPA-registered products, and check back to make sure the activity has stopped. See our termite control service or call (347) 988-2315.
Frequently asked questions
Can a house be saved if it has termites?
Yes. Termite damage builds over years, so the usual answer is treating the colony and replacing the damaged wood. The sooner the colony is treated, the less wood has to be replaced.
Does vinegar kill termites?
It can kill termites it touches, but it won’t solve an infestation. The colony lives in the soil, out of reach. Use vinegar to clean, not to treat.
How do professionals find termites?
By looking where termites travel and feed: mud tubes on the foundation and basement walls, wood near the soil, sill plates and framing, and damp, warm spots near boilers and pipes. Probing wood with a screwdriver shows hollow or soft areas.
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