Termite Control & Treatment

Subterranean termites are the termite problem in Georgia. UGA Extension notes they dominate the Southeast, with the eastern subterranean termite the most common species, and that Georgia swarms start in February and peak from March through May (UGA Extension B1241). Formosan termites have been found in Georgia since the early 1990s but remain rare (UGA Extension C868). In metro Atlanta, crawlspace homes, wood in contact with soil, and damp foundations can all give termites a way in, and a treatment decision is expensive enough to slow down for.

Treatment usually means one of three approaches. A liquid termiticide barrier is applied by trenching around the foundation and drilling slabs, porches and patios where needed. A bait system uses monitored stations around the house. A spot treatment targets activity in one limited area. Published figures put liquid treatment at about $3–$16 per linear foot, or about $300–$1,200 for a whole house in Georgia, and larger or harder homes can exceed $2,000 (Fixr Georgia; HomeGuide). Bait system installation runs about $1,000–$2,500 (HomeGuide; Today's Homeowner), plus about $200–$400 a year for annual monitoring or a plan (HomeGuide; Angi).

Georgia is specific about termite contracts. Under the Georgia Structural Pest Control Commission rules, the written contract, which most people call a termite bond, must state the treatment type, the effective date and term, a diagram of the structure, the price, and the renewal fee along with how many years it's fixed and how often the home is reinspected. It must also carry a boxed statement saying whether the warranty covers retreatment only, or retreatment and repair. You sign before work starts, the contract must disclose your 3-day right to cancel, and on a one- or two-unit home it can't limit the treated area.

Soil treatments have minimum standards too: debris removed, six inches of clearance between wood and soil outside and 18 inches in crawlspaces, mud tubes removed, a six-inch trench, and termiticide applied at the label rate. If a company can't meet a minimum, Georgia requires an Official Waiver signed by the owner, so read any waiver before you sign it. Bait contracts must carry a boxed warning that removing the bait system may leave the home unprotected, and the company must keep station-by-station monitoring records.

Termite work in Georgia falls under Category 30, Wood-Destroying Organism (WDO) control. Before you sign, look the company up on the Georgia Department of Agriculture's license search and ask whether its Designated Certified Operator holds the WDO category. Atlanta Pest Guide is a referral service, not a termite company. Requests go to independent local companies, which inspect, quote and warrant their own work.