Termite FAQ: The Questions Alabama Homeowners Ask Us Most

Termites generate more questions than any other pest we treat, and for good reason: they are the one pest that can cost a homeowner real money, they are hard to see, and the industry around them uses a vocabulary — bonds, baits, barriers, WDO letters — that nobody explains. The Wedgworth family has been doing termite work in Alabama since 1958. These are the questions we hear most often, from Birmingham to Lake Martin to Huntsville, with the plainest answers we can give.

Is that a flying ant or a termite?

Look at three things. A termite swarmer has a straight, thick waist; a flying ant has a pinched waist like a wasp. A termite's two pairs of wings are equal in length and roughly twice the body; an ant's front wings are noticeably longer than the back pair. A termite's antennae are straight and beaded; an ant's are bent at an elbow. Swarmers shed their wings quickly, so a pile of identical small wings on a windowsill in late winter or spring is a strong termite sign even if you never saw the insects. We cover the full identification in how to identify termites in your Alabama home.

What kind of termites are in Alabama?

Almost always the Eastern subterranean termite. It lives in the soil, needs moisture, and reaches wood through mud tubes it builds up foundations, piers, and pipes. Formosan subterranean termites — larger colonies, more aggressive — have been found in parts of the state, mainly toward the coast and along transport corridors. Drywood termites, which live inside the wood itself and need no soil contact, are uncommon here. For practical purposes, if you are in central or north Alabama, you are dealing with subterranean termites, and the treatment strategy follows from that.

When do termites swarm in Alabama?

Late February through May, usually on a warm, humid day after rain, often in the afternoon. Swarming is the colony sending out reproductives to start new colonies; it is a sign of a mature colony nearby, and if the swarm is inside the house — coming out of a wall, a window frame, or a bathroom — it is a sign the colony is in the house. Timing and what to do about it are in Alabama termite swarm season.

How fast do termites do damage?

Slower than the scary version, faster than you would like. A single subterranean colony in Alabama can number in the hundreds of thousands, and a mature one feeding on a house will cause meaningful damage over a few years, not a few weeks. That is the good news and the bad news together: you have time to act when you find signs, and a house that has gone ten years without an inspection can have serious hidden damage. What the damage looks like is covered in what termite damage looks like.

Does homeowners insurance cover termite damage?

Generally, no. Standard homeowners policies treat termite damage as a maintenance issue that develops over time rather than a sudden event, and exclude it. Read your own policy and ask your agent, but do not plan on insurance. This is the main reason a termite protection agreement with damage repair coverage exists as a product.

Can I treat termites myself?

You can buy products that kill termites you can see. You cannot, as a practical matter, treat a subterranean termite colony. The colony is in the soil, possibly a hundred feet from the house, and the workers you see in a mud tube are a tiny fraction of it. Effective treatment either establishes a continuous treated zone in the soil around the entire structure or places a bait system the colony carries back and feeds on — both require training, equipment, and in Alabama, a license. Alabama regulates termite work; it has to be done by a licensed company, which is part of why the treatment carries an agreement and coverage.

What is a WDO inspection and why is it required?

A wood-destroying organism inspection is a licensed inspector's on-site examination of the structure for evidence of termites and other wood-destroying insects and fungi. Alabama requires one before termite treatment can be priced or sold, because a real quote depends on what the inspection finds: linear footage of the foundation, foundation type, crawlspace versus slab, moisture conditions, existing damage, and conducive conditions like wood-to-soil contact. Our inspection is free and there is no obligation attached to it. The same inspection produces the WDO letter that real estate closings require — see the real estate WDO letter, explained.

Why won't anyone quote termite work over the phone?

Because they cannot, honestly. See above. Anyone who gives you a termite price without looking at the house is guessing, and the guess is either padded to cover the unknowns or low to get in the door. The inspection takes an hour and costs nothing. We explain what drives the number in termite treatment cost in Alabama.

What is the difference between a bait system and a liquid treatment?

A liquid treatment puts a continuous zone of termiticide in the soil around the foundation; termites tunneling through it pick it up and die. It works by blocking and requires trenching, and often drilling through slabs and porches, around the whole structure. A bait system places stations in the soil around the house; foraging termites find the bait, carry it back, and the colony is eliminated from the inside. Nothing is drilled. Both are legitimate. Which fits a house depends on the construction, the soil, and what the inspection finds. We are a Sentricon® Certified Specialist and use the Sentricon® Always Active™ system; the comparison is in Sentricon vs. liquid termite treatment.

What is a termite bond?

"Bond" is the everyday Alabama word for a termite protection agreement: an ongoing contract under which the company inspects on a schedule, treats as needed, and in many cases provides coverage for damage repair. It renews annually. When a house is sold, the bond is often transferred to the buyer, which is why realtors ask whether a house "has a bond." What it covers and what it does not are in termite bond in Alabama, explained.

What does EnviroCare's coverage actually mean?

On qualifying homes, an EnviroCare Sentricon® termite protection agreement carries up to $1,000,000 in damage repair coverage, subject to the terms of the agreement. That coverage is EnviroCare's own — it is written into our agreement, not into any product packaging — and like any such agreement it has terms: the structure has to qualify at inspection, the agreement has to stay in force, and conducive conditions we flag have to be addressed. We will walk through the terms line by line before anything is signed. What we will not do is describe it as more than it is.

How long does termite treatment last?

A bait system is continuous protection as long as the agreement is active and the stations are being monitored — that is the point of it. A liquid barrier degrades in the soil over years and typically needs re-treatment. In both cases the annual inspection is what keeps the protection real, which is why it is part of the agreement rather than an add-on.

If I find termites, what should I do right now?

Do not tear out the wall, do not spray the tube, and do not panic. Take a photo of what you found, leave it in place so the inspector can see it, and schedule the inspection. Spraying a mud tube kills a few workers and tells the colony to reroute; the inspector learns more from an undisturbed tube. Termite damage is slow enough that a week of waiting for a proper inspection costs nothing, and a rushed decision on a phone quote can cost a great deal.

The question behind all the questions

Most termite questions come down to one: do I need to worry about this house? The honest answer for any house in Alabama that has not been inspected in the last year is that you do not know, and a free inspection turns that into an answer either way. That is the whole reason it is free.

Call the office nearest you — Birmingham (205) 940-6360, Lake Martin / Alex City (256) 234-6162, or Huntsville (256) 937-7676 — or request a free quote and we will take it from there.

No One Cares Like EnviroCare.