Termites: the short answer
If you see termite swarmers, piles of discarded wings, mud tubes on the foundation or wood that sounds hollow, schedule a professional inspection soon. Termites rarely cause an emergency overnight, but damage grows quietly, and treatment uses equipment and products homeowners don't have. Native subterranean termites occur in every Alabama county, according to the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Call (334) 555-0147 to speak with a local pest control company in the Prattville area.
Signs of termites
- Swarmers: winged termites, often near windows and doors. Native swarmers fly by day from about late February through May or June.
- Discarded wings on windowsills, floors and in spider webs.
- Mud tubes running up the foundation, piers or walls to wood above ground.
- Damaged wood that sounds dull and hollow when tapped, with galleries packed with soil.
Swarmers are easy to confuse with flying ants. Termites have straight antennae, a thick waist and wings of equal length. For other pests, see our overview of pest control in Prattville, AL.
How urgent is it?
Not an overnight emergency, but don't wait months.
Every season termites go untreated, more of the structure is at risk, and the damage is usually hidden inside walls and floors. Get an inspection within days or weeks of finding signs, not after the next swarm.
What attracts termites
Alabama Extension calls moisture the key factor. Leaks, condensation and poor drainage raise the risk, along with:
- wood touching soil, including stumps, form boards and grade stakes left after construction
- firewood, wood debris or wood fencing against the house
- mulch, plants or gardens within 12 inches of the foundation
- foam insulation, siding or stucco that extends below grade
The Formosan subterranean termite, an aggressive imported species, is found mainly in Mobile and Baldwin counties, with sporadic finds in Lee and Calhoun counties. Most termite work around Prattville involves native subterranean termites.
Treatment options
- Liquid termiticides: applied by trenching around the foundation or drilling through slabs. They act quickly but are more invasive.
- Baits: stations around the house that use very small amounts of active ingredient. They need monitoring as often as monthly to quarterly and can take weeks to months to eliminate a colony.
- Borates: wood treatments used as a supplement, not on their own.
- Pretreatment: applied during construction. Alabama Extension says current soil termiticides generally last about 5 years.
What happens during a termite visit
Inspection
The inspector checks the foundation, crawl space or slab edges, garage, attic and moisture problem areas, and identifies the species.
Report and map
Alabama Extension advises asking for the inspection report and map and keeping them on file.
Treatment plan and contract
Liquid, bait or a combination, with a written contract that spells out coverage.
Treatment
Trenching, drilling or installing bait stations, depending on the plan.
Annual inspection
Alabama Extension recommends a thorough inspection at least once a year, often through an annual renewal.
What affects the cost
- Size and construction of the home: slab, crawl space and linear feet of foundation all matter.
- Treatment method: liquid barriers, baits and combinations are priced differently.
- Extent of activity: an active infestation costs more than preventive treatment.
- Contract terms: re-treatment-only coverage costs less than coverage that includes damage repair.
Alabama Extension suggests getting at least three quotes and being cautious of unusually low prices. See the pest control cost guide.
Questions to ask before you hire
- Do you hold an Alabama license in the wood-destroying organism category?
- Is this a re-treatment-only contract, or does it cover damage repair?
- Does the contract cover Formosan termites as well as native species?
- Can I see the product label before treatment?
- What does the annual renewal cost, and what does it include?
Our guide to termite contracts in Alabama goes deeper.
Termites around Prattville
Older homes near Downtown Prattville and established streets in Silver Hills need regular inspections, and newer homes in Highland Farms and Kingston Hills should plan for when construction pretreatment wears off. Calls also come from Millbrook and Wetumpka.
What to have ready when you call
- what you saw: swarmers, wings, mud tubes or damaged wood, and where
- whether the home is on a slab or crawl space, and roughly how old it is
- whether the home has an existing termite contract or bond