Termite Treatment in Sacramento
At Sacto Termite Control, we start every treatment with one rule: the method must match the termite. Subterranean termites living in your soil need a different approach than drywood termites living inside your attic framing. Applying the wrong treatment wastes money and leaves the colony alive. After a professional termite inspection confirms the species and severity, we build a treatment plan around what is actually in your home.
Choosing the Right Treatment for Your Termite Species
Sacramento homes deal with three termite species. Each one responds to a different treatment method.
Subterranean termites live underground and travel through soil to reach your wood. They are stopped with a liquid termiticide barrier applied around your foundation. We trench 6 inches deep along the perimeter, inject the termiticide into the soil, and refill. Termites moving through that zone pick up the chemical and carry it back to the colony. The key is using a non-repellent termiticide like Termidor, which termites cannot detect. They walk through it, transfer it to other workers, and the colony collapses within 90 days.
Drywood termites live inside wood and need no soil contact. If the infestation is isolated to one or two areas, no-tent spot treatment eliminates the colony by injecting termiticide directly into the infested wood cavity. If drywood termites are found throughout multiple areas of the home, whole-structure tent fumigation is the most thorough and complete solution.
Formosan termites are an aggressive subterranean variant with colonies far larger than standard subterranean termites. They typically need a combination of liquid barriers and bait stations working together for full colony elimination.
For commercial properties such as retail spaces, office buildings, warehouses, and multi-unit residential complexes, treatment follows the same species-based logic. Larger perimeters, more complex foundations, and business-friendly scheduling require a more customized approach to minimize disruption.
What Happens on Treatment Day?
Knowing what to expect removes the stress from treatment day. Here is the process from start to finish.
For liquid barrier treatment, we arrive in the morning and begin trenching around your foundation perimeter. A petrol-powered rod injects the termiticide deep into the soil at intervals along the trench. Concrete areas like patios and garage slabs get small drill holes (typically 1/2 inch) at intervals, filled with termiticide, and sealed after injection. The job takes 4 to 8 hours depending on your home’s size and foundation complexity. You can stay home during the process. There is no fumigation gas, no tenting, and no need to vacate.
For no-tent spot treatment, we locate the exact infested wood cavity using thermal imaging and listening devices, drill a small injection hole, fill it with termiticide, and seal it. This takes 1 to 3 hours. Again, you stay home and resume normal activities immediately.
For tent fumigation, you vacate for 2 to 3 days. This is the only treatment that requires you to leave. Food, medicine, and pets must be removed before tenting begins.
For new builds, pre-construction treatment is applied after footings are poured and before framing is set. This is the most cost-effective prevention point in a building’s life.
After any treatment, we provide full written documentation of what was applied, where, and at what concentration. This is your record for resale, insurance, and future inspections.
Treatment Warranties, Guarantees, and Long-Term Protection
Every treatment comes with a warranty, but not all warranties are the same. Understanding what yours covers protects you from unexpected costs later.
A standard liquid barrier warranty covers the treated area for 1 year from the treatment date. If active termites are found within that period in the treated zone, we retreat at no charge. After the first year, annual renewal inspections extend the warranty year by year. The termiticide itself remains active in the soil for 5 years or more under normal Sacramento conditions, but the warranty coverage and the chemical’s active life are two different things.
If you want ongoing coverage without tracking renewal dates, a termite bond is the better option. A termite bond is an annual service agreement that includes inspections, preventive treatment refresh, and a guarantee that any new infestation will be treated at no additional cost. Most Sacramento homeowners with a history of termite activity choose bonds over one-time treatment warranties.
What warranties typically do not cover: pre-existing structural damage, infestations in areas not treated during the original service, or new termite entry from untreated perimeter sections. Always read the scope of work carefully before signing.
If termites have already caused structural or cosmetic wood damage, treatment stops the active infestation but does not restore the wood. Termite damage repair is a separate service that restores your home to safe, code-compliant condition after the colony has been eliminated.
Frequent Questions About Termite Treatment in Sacramento
Straight answers to what Sacramento homeowners ask most before calling us.
It depends on the method. A non-repellent liquid barrier like Termidor typically achieves full colony elimination within 90 days of application. Bait stations take longer because termites must find, consume, and distribute the bait through the colony. Spot treatment kills the targeted colony within days of injection. Fumigation works within 48 hours of exposure. For liquid barriers, you will not see results overnight, but the colony is being eliminated from within during those 90 days.
Yes. Commercial termite treatment uses the same licensed professionals and EPA-approved termiticides as residential treatment, but the process is scaled to the building’s size and construction type. We coordinate treatment scheduling to minimize downtime for your business. Warehouses and large retail spaces with slab foundations typically need perimeter trenching plus interior slab injection at expansion joints. Multi-unit residential buildings need treatment that addresses shared wall and floor assemblies. We provide written treatment reports that satisfy commercial property management and insurance documentation requirements.
The most common reason is an incomplete barrier. If trenching skips a section of the foundation, termites find the gap and bypass the treatment zone. A second reason is using a repellent termiticide instead of a non-repellent one. Repellent products cause termites to avoid the treated zone rather than walk through it and die. They simply reroute around it. We use non-repellent termiticides as standard practice. A third reason is soil conditions. Saturated or extremely dense soil can prevent even distribution of the termiticide. We assess soil conditions before treatment to ensure proper penetration.
For liquid barrier treatment, clear landscaping and items away from the foundation perimeter so our crew can access the soil. Move potted plants from the perimeter. For fumigation, remove all food, medications, plants, and pets, and bag consumables in special fumigation bags we provide. For spot treatment, no preparation is needed. We will give you a full preparation checklist specific to your treatment type when we confirm your appointment.
We offer ten services covering every termite situation Sacramento homeowners face: free termite inspections, Termidor liquid barrier treatments, subterranean and drywood termite control, Formosan termite protocols, tent fumigation, no-tent spot treatments, annual prevention plans, pre-construction soil treatments, and structural damage repair after colony removal. Every service includes a written warranty and same-day availability in most areas.
We Treat Termites Throughout Sacramento and the Surrounding Region
Our termite treatment services cover Sacramento, Elk Grove, Roseville, Folsom, Citrus Heights, Rancho Cordova, Carmichael, Fair Oaks, Rocklin, Davis, West Sacramento, Natomas, Galt, Woodland, Lincoln, Antelope, Orangevale, and Auburn.
Get a Free Treatment Estimate
Call (916) 530-2030 or email hello@sactotermitecontrol.com. Treatment estimates are zero-cost after inspection. Most treatment can begin within the same week as your inspection.
- Licensed by the California Structural Pest Control Board
- Non-repellent termiticides used as standard
- Written treatment documentation provided
- 1-year warranty on all treatments
- Residential and commercial properties served