Useful video

Learn what a termite swarm can mean

This extension presentation helps distinguish useful observations from a treatment decision. Save specimens or clear photos when safe, avoid disturbing suspected activity, and ask an appropriately licensed professional to identify the pest and evidence.

Video: Termites are Swarming! Here's what to do. by UGA Extension.

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Document What You Observed Before You Call

Providers will ask what prompted the call, so write down your observations while they are fresh. Note where you saw something unusual, such as discarded wings, mud-like tubes, damaged or hollow-sounding wood, or swarming insects, and when you first noticed it. Take dated photos from a few feet back and up close, and keep any insect samples in a sealed container or taped to a piece of paper rather than brushing them away.

Do not attempt to identify the insects yourself, remove tubes, or open walls, and do not treat the area with store-bought products. Both actions can change what an inspector finds. Your notes are observations for the inspector to interpret, not a diagnosis, and framing them that way keeps the proposal grounded in what the professional actually verified.

  • When I call, should I describe what I saw in detail or wait for the inspection?
  • Should I leave visible tubes, wings, or damaged wood untouched before the appointment?
  • Will the inspection cover the areas in my photos, and is there anything I should point out?

Gather Property Details That Shape the Inspection

Treatment plans depend on construction details the inspector cannot always see from the surface. Before the appointment, collect what you know about the property: the foundation type, whether you have a crawlspace, slab, or basement, additions or enclosed patios, known plumbing or drainage problems, past pest treatments, and any paperwork from previous warranties if the home had one.

Also plan access. Inspectors need to reach crawlspaces, attic areas, garage walls, and the exterior foundation line, so clear storage away from walls where you can, unlock gates, and secure pets for the visit. Mentioning known constraints in advance, such as finished walls, decks, or landscaping near the foundation, lets the company tell you whether those areas can be inspected or treated and what that means for the proposal.

  • What construction features on my property will affect how you inspect and treat?
  • Are there areas you will not be able to inspect, and how would that be noted in the proposal?
  • How long will the inspection take, and should anyone specific be home for it?

Ask for the Inspection Findings in Writing

The inspection findings are the foundation of the whole proposal, so ask that they be written down, not just explained verbally. A written findings section should state what was found, where it was found, what evidence supports it, and which areas were inspected. If two companies inspect the same property and describe different findings or different affected areas, that difference must be resolved before the treatment plans can be compared fairly.

Ask whether the inspector distinguishes between active infestation, evidence of past activity, and conditions that could support future activity, because these lead to different scopes of work. If the inspector points to damage, ask whether the inspection establishes its extent or whether determining damage severity is outside what the inspection provides.

  • Will the written proposal include the inspection findings, or only the treatment and price?
  • Where exactly did you find evidence, and what did you observe at each location?
  • Does your inspection distinguish active activity from old evidence?
  • Can I get a copy of the inspection report or diagram showing the areas inspected?

Require the Treatment Area and Method in the Proposal

A comparable proposal names the treatment area and the method for each part of it: which sides of the structure, which interior locations, and which exterior zones, along with the treatment approach for each. If the plan involves drilling through slabs, patios, or brick, or trenching and treating soil along the foundation, the proposal should state where that access work happens and whether the company restores the drilled or disturbed surfaces.

Ask the provider to identify any proposed product or treatment system and supply its written instructions and relevant product information. Compare the described areas of application and ask the provider to explain any differences between proposals.

  • Exactly which areas of the home and property will be treated, and which will not?
  • Will drilling or trenching be needed, where, and who repairs those surfaces afterward?
  • What treatment method or product do you propose, and can you tell me where its label details are published?
  • Why did you choose this method for my property instead of an alternative?

Get Occupant, Pet, and Re-Entry Instructions Up Front

Preparation requirements affect your schedule, so ask for them before you accept a proposal rather than on treatment day. Ask whether anyone in the household, including pets, needs to stay out of the home or away from treated areas and for how long, whether food, dishes, or belongings need to be covered or moved, and whether you need to do anything before the crew arrives, such as clearing access to walls or the crawlspace.

Also ask how long the treatment visit takes and whether you will receive written re-entry instructions. If a company cannot tell you the occupant instructions at the proposal stage, ask why, since a complete proposal should describe what the visit involves. Different methods carry different instructions, which is another reason to compare proposals in writing rather than accepting the first quote given over the phone.

  • Do people or pets need to leave during or after treatment, and for how long?
  • What exactly do I need to do to prepare the home before the crew arrives?
  • Will I receive written re-entry and safety instructions for the products used?
  • How long will the treatment appointment take, and can it be rescheduled if needed?

Compare Monitoring, Follow-Ups, and Renewal Terms

Termite work commonly continues after the initial treatment, so the follow-up structure belongs in the proposal, not in a verbal promise. Ask what monitoring or follow-up visits are included, on what schedule, and for how long after treatment. Ask whether follow-up inspections are included in the initial price, billed separately, or tied to a renewal agreement.

Renewal terms deserve their own questions: what the agreement renews, when it renews, whether it renews automatically, and what happens to coverage if you decline to renew or let it lapse. If the proposal references an annual or ongoing program, ask for the renewal price in writing now, not later. Comparing the first-year price while ignoring renewal terms is one of the most common ways proposals that look similar turn out to be very different over time.

  • How many follow-up visits are included, and on what schedule?
  • What does the renewal agreement cover, and what is the renewal price?
  • Does coverage continue if I do not renew, and what is the process for restarting it?
  • Who do I contact if I think I see new activity, and how quickly are those calls handled?

Pin Down Warranty, Retreatment, and Exclusion Terms

Every proposal should state in writing what happens if termites are found after treatment. Ask whether retreatment is included, under what conditions, and for how long the commitment lasts. Ask what can void the coverage, such as structural changes, new landscaping, or untreated additions, so you know your obligations before signing.

Exclusions matter just as much. Proposals commonly separate treatment from wood or moisture corrections and from repairing damage, so ask which corrections, if any, the company performs and which repairs are excluded from both the treatment and the warranty. If the inspector identified a moisture condition or wood-to-soil contact as a contributing factor, ask how the proposal addresses it. Getting exclusions in writing is what lets you compare two proposals honestly: a lower price with more exclusions is not the same offer.

  • What happens if termites are found after treatment, and at what cost to me?
  • What is the length and scope of the warranty or retreatment commitment?
  • What conditions would void the warranty?
  • Are wood or moisture corrections included, excluded, or priced separately?
  • Is damage repair covered by anyone under this proposal?

How to Ask for Missing Details and Compare Side by Side

When a proposal leaves out one of the items above, ask for it in writing before you decide, using specific language: please add the treatment area, the access work, the follow-up schedule, the renewal price, and the exclusions to the written proposal. A company that will not put these in writing has told you something. Do not rely on verbal explanations, sales sheets, or an email summary that does not match the proposal document; ask for a revised written proposal.

Contact more than one company and request the same written structure from each. Orkin, Terminix, and Ehrlich each publish termite and pest services and a contact route on their official websites, and each confirms service availability for your address through its own site. Regional and local companies can be added the same way. Then use the checklist below to compare them line by line, and treat any line a company refuses to complete as a decision factor in itself.

  • Can you issue a revised written proposal that includes the items we discussed?
  • Is the person who inspected my home the one who will supervise the treatment?
  • What is the total first-year cost including every fee, renewal, and add-on you described?

Your proposal comparison checklist

  • Written inspection findings: what was found, where, and the evidence cited
  • Diagram or list of areas inspected, plus any areas that could not be inspected
  • Treatment area stated exactly: interior locations, foundation sides, and exterior zones
  • Treatment method named for each area, with a pointer to published product label information
  • Access work identified: drilling or trenching locations and surface restoration responsibility
  • Occupant, pet, and re-entry instructions provided in writing before treatment day
  • Preparation tasks you must complete, listed in the proposal
  • Number and schedule of included monitoring or follow-up visits
  • Renewal terms: what renews, when, the renewal price, and what happens if you decline
  • Warranty or retreatment conditions: duration, what triggers a return visit, and your cost
  • Conditions that void the warranty, stated explicitly
  • Wood or moisture corrections: included, excluded, or priced separately
  • Damage repair: who covers it, or a written statement that it is excluded
  • Total first-year cost with all fees itemized, and how price changes are handled
  • Company contact route for suspected new activity after treatment
Record your comparison →

Prepared homeowners get better proposals because they force each company to commit to the same details in writing. Document your observations, make the property accessible, request written findings and scope, and compare every proposal against the checklist before deciding. If a provider will not put the treatment area, renewal terms, or exclusions in writing, that omission is part of the comparison. This article is general preparation guidance, not a diagnosis of your property or a recommendation of any specific company or treatment method.

Provider sources and limitations

These first-party websites support the directory’s provider identities and published contact routes. The preparation questions above are editorial suggestions, not a diagnosis, repair specification, treatment recommendation, or professional review.

View contact details in the directory →