Termite infestations are a nightmare that is responsible for billions of dollars in damages to homes in the US. They are an unwelcome guest that many home and business owners dread; it is not uncommon to see property owners spending thousands of dollars on termite removal. Therefore, it is vital to consider termite prevention to avoid the hefty cost of termite treatment. However, If you find out that you have an active termite infestation, the treatment cost would vary depending on many factors that we will discuss in this article. Let’s start by answering the following questions.
How much does termite treatment cost?
The average cost of termite treatment is about $551. However, this cost can be affected by many other factors, such as the type of treatment used, the size of the area that needs treatment, the level of infestation, and your location. Based on these factors, the cost can be as low as $237 for a small infestation to up to $3100 for more extensive treatments in larger properties.
Let’s see how each of these factors can impact the cost.
Cost of termite treatment based on the dimension of the treatment area.
The size of the treatment area is related, in part, to the size of the property that needs treatment if the infestation is spread throughout the property.
This is no surprise because the more extensive the infested area, the more treatment must be applied. This cost is also closely tied to the treatment type used. Below is a breakdown of this cost.
Size of the affected area | Cost of treatment |
---|---|
1500 Square Ft | $1500 – $5250 |
2000 Square Ft | $1800 – $5800 |
2500 Square Ft | $2000 – $6500 |
3000 Square Ft | $3000 – $9500 |
Although this table assumes that a treatment will be performed on your entire home, It gives you an idea of how expensive it can get to remediate a termite infestation. You can spend up to 9,000 for a larger home with an extensive termite infestation. In most cases, a termite exterminator must perform a treatment more than once to ensure that the termites are entirely gone.
Cost of termite treatment based on treatment type.
The extent of infestation determines the type of treatment. To treat smaller termite colonies or if the infestation is limited to a small area, applying a chemical treatment should get the job done; for larger colonies or for much more severe infestations, bait, fumigation, or heat treatment might be needed.
Although Chemical treatments cost about $2 to $16 per linear foot, Bait treatment generally costs between $6 to $13 per linear foot, whereas fumigation cost between $8 to $22 per linear foot. Heat tenting will cost about $10 to $15 per linear foot.
Cost based on treatment type | Cost of treatment per linear foot |
---|---|
Chemical / Termiticide | $2 – $16 |
Bait System | $6 – $13 |
Fumigation | $8 – $22 |
Heat Treatment | $10 – $15 |
Other Factors that affect termite treatment cost.
Keeping aside the primary factors affecting the cost of termite treatment, like the house’s square footage, the infestation’s severity, and the type of treatment needed. The following are some additional factors that affect termite control cost.
The extent of damage caused by termites.
If you notice a termite infestation early enough, then it’s likely that the damage they might have caused to your property is minimal. However, it would help if you considered the cost of replacing damaged wood, foundation repairs, etc. If the damage is minimal, you could be paying just a few extra hundred dollars, but some damages can cause up to $10,000 to repair, especially if this includes repairs to your property’s foundation. It’s always important to contact a termite exterminator near you as soon as you notice termites around your property.
Type of Termite
Types of termites that can be found around your property are typically, Dampwood, Subterranean, and Drywood.
The following is a brief description of the types of termites
Subterranean termites
These termites form colonies in the soil and travel inside the house to feed on wood around the perimeter of your home; they create mud tunnels to navigate away from concrete and other barriers that block their access to your home. They can also access your home through cracks within the concrete; these termites can be treated with liquid termiticides or bait station, and treatment price ranges between $240 – $1000.
Dampwood termites
These termites generally feed on moist wood and are typically encountered either in places that have the right conditions to create moisture in wood, such as a leak that drips on wood within your home, or in already distressed wood that is rotten. They can be an indication of an underlining moisture issue in a home, in general taking care of a moisture problem in a home can remedy these termites.
Drywood Termites
Drywood termites are different from Dampwood and Subterranean. They take up residence inside the structure of your home, they can expand exponentially in the right conditions, and for severe infestations, tenting and fumigating might be the only way to get rid of dry wood termites completely. Since these termites live within the structure of your home, it can be challenging to identify all the places they are in. Although an inspection by a pro might yield a better chance of Identifying where in your home they are located, looking for signs such as termite exit holes and frass can indicate the presence of dry wood termites.
Now that we have seen how high termite remediation costs can be, what can be done to ensure you are not hit with a severe termite infestation? One of the ways is to have a regular inspection.
Being proactive is the key to avoiding termite infestation, especially if you live in an area with termites. Routine Termite inspection can help you discover an infestation that can be treated before it gets out of control. Inspection is the first step before treatment because you want to know the level of infestation. Also, termite companies would only be able to give you a termite treatment quote if they knew the level of infestation. Depending on the property size, termite inspection costs range from $75 to $300. You can also sign up for a subscription plan with a company that would cover either quarterly or annual inspection.