The short version
Most termite problems in Carrollton are eastern subterranean termites, and the usual fix is a liquid soil treatment or bait stations. Start with an inspection; $75–$250 is typical.
- Look for mud tubes, shed wings and hollow-sounding wood.
- Swarms usually show up from March through May.
- The usual fix is a soil barrier or bait stations.
- An inspection typically costs $75–$250.
- Insurance usually doesn’t cover termite damage.
Anyone in Carrollton who owns, rents out, or is buying a home and wants to know whether termites are a real concern.
What to look for
Spongy floors or bubbling paint usually mean long-running damage. So it's worth an inspection, even for one or two signs. Termites work quietly. A colony can feed inside a wall for years. Average winter lows near 36°F slow termites near the surface around Carrollton, but they move deeper and keep feeding under heated homes.
- 1Small kick-out holes in exposed wood.
- 2Screwdriver sinks easily into sills or trim.
- 3Mud tubes running up foundation walls or piers.
- 4Piles of identical shed wings on windowsills.
- 5Dry hexagonal pellets under window frames or eaves.
- 6Mud in cracks of subfloor or joists.
Why it’s worth acting soon
- Colonies grow and spread every year they go untreated.
- Damage hides behind drywall, flooring and trim.
- Homeowners insurance usually doesn’t cover termite damage.
- An active infestation can complicate a home sale.
- Formosan colonies are large and can do serious damage quickly.
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Termite activity through the year in Carrollton
Spring
swarm season. Around Carrollton, expect it from March through May. Check windowsills and light fixtures for wings.
Summer
with highs around 96°F in Carrollton, termites follow moisture, so watch AC drain lines, sprinkler zones and hose bibs.
Fall
with about 38 inches of rain a year in Carrollton, make sure gutters and downspouts carry water well away from the foundation.
Winter
a good time to book an inspection in Carrollton, before swarm season starts.
Treatment options and typical costs
Termite Inspection and WDI Report
$75–$250
The inspector checks the foundation, garage, attic and damp spots. Bring up anything you’ve noticed.
- Time
- 60–120 minutes
- Best for
- Every job, real estate closings, and yearly peace of mind
Localized Wood, Foam, and Borate Treatment
$250–$1,500
A local treatment is cheaper than fumigation but only covers what the Carrollton technician can find. Hidden drywood galleries elsewhere in the house are not touched.
- Time
- 1–3 hours
- Best for
- Small drywood spots, wall voids, and exposed framing
Bait Station System with Monitoring
$1,500–$3,500 install, plus $300–$500 per year
Ask how many stations they plan for your Carrollton home, how often they'll check them, and what the annual fee covers.
- Time
- 2–4 hours to install; checked quarterly
- Best for
- Colony elimination, wells and slabs, homes near water
Annual Renewal and Monitoring
$150–$400 per year
Renewal fees are small next to a second full treatment. For Carrollton homeowners, the visit usually includes a walk-around, a crawl space check, and a bait station service.
- Time
- 30–60 minutes per visit
- Best for
- Keeping a treated home protected after the initial job
Prices are typical published ranges. Ask what’s included before you compare quotes.
Drywood termites can fly straight into attic framing through vents, so attics belong on the inspection list in warm climates.How treatment works on a typical Carrollton home.
They're spaced every 10 to 20 feet. Bait stations are the other main option. Treatment goes in through the holes, which get patched afterward. Under patios and garage floors, they drill small holes. Around Carrollton, on a slab, the crew treats the soil along the outside walls. The stations are checked on a schedule, often every few months. Termites carry the bait back to the colony.
Which termites live around Carrollton.
Inspectors take them seriously. Their colonies dwarf native ones. Formosan termites have spread into parts of Texas too. It needs steady moisture. It nests in soil and builds mud tubes to reach wood. The termite you're most likely to meet in Carrollton is the eastern subterranean termite.
Sealing the gap where pipes enter the house takes away one of the easiest routes in. It won't replace treatment, but it helps.When termites swarm here.
A swarm outside means a colony is nearby. Look for them on warm, humid evenings around porch lights. Formosan termites in Texas swarm later, from late April into June. Around Carrollton, eastern subterranean termites usually swarm from March through May, typically on a warm, sunny day after rain. Swarm season is when termites show themselves. Save a few in a bag, or snap a clear photo. A swarm inside usually means it's in the house.
Where to look around your house.
The same advice applies across the area, from Carrollton out to Dallas and Plano. Keep soil and mulch below the slab edge. Outside, watch for mud tubes behind shrubs. Look where pipes come through the floor. Check the garage edges and behind baseboards. Many homes in Carrollton sit on concrete slabs, so termites come up through expansion joints, plumbing gaps and settlement cracks.
A year of termites in Carrollton.
- Spring: swarm season. Around Carrollton, expect it from March through May. Check windowsills and light fixtures for wings. - Winter: a good time to book an inspection in Carrollton, before swarm season starts. - Fall: with about 38 inches of rain a year in Carrollton, make sure gutters and downspouts carry water well away from the foundation. - Summer: with highs around 96°F in Carrollton, termites follow moisture, so watch AC drain lines, sprinkler zones and hose bibs.
What happens at an inspection.
Inside, they check the garage, baseboards, plumbing gaps and the attic. They check the foundation, the soil line and nearby wood. The inspector walks the outside of the house first. Most inspections take an hour or two. Photos help. Afterward, ask them to show you what they found. A moisture meter and a probe help them find hidden activity. On a slab, they focus on joints, cracks and pipe gaps.
Termites or ants?
- Waist: termites are thick through the middle. Ants are pinched. - Wings: termite wings are all the same length. Ant wings aren’t. - Tunnels: termite galleries are packed with mud. Ant tunnels are clean and smooth. - Debris: termites leave mud. Carpenter ants leave sawdust. - Antennae: termite antennae are straight. Ant antennae bend like an elbow.
Getting ready for treatment day.
Move boxes away from garage walls. Clear a walking path along the exterior walls. Prep is light for liquid treatments and bait stations. Drill holes in slabs or patios get patched afterward. Keep kids and pets inside while the Carrollton crew applies the product, and ask how long to stay off treated soil. In Texas, swarms begin in January–February in South Texas and not until April or May in the Panhandle (Texas A&M). Flag sprinkler heads and buried lines.
Mulch and termites.
A dry gap along the house makes mud tubes easier to spot; in Carrollton that means extending downspouts and pulling mulch back from the slab. Pull mulch back from the foundation and keep the layer thin. Wood chips touching the siding trap the moisture termites are after.
Questions to ask before you sign.
- What product or system will you use? - Which termites did you find, and where? - What do I need to do before and after treatment? - What does the yearly renewal cost? - What does the warranty cover, and for how long? - Is the whole foundation treated, or just one spot?
What affects the price
- Amount of drilling through concrete and patios.
- Liquid barrier versus bait station system.
- Whole-house fumigation versus spot treatment.
- Linear feet of foundation to be treated.
- Extent of existing damage needing repair.
- Number of bait stations required.
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What's your biggest concern about termites?
When to call for help
Termites leave mud. Carpenter ants leave clean tunnels and sawdust. It's also the cheapest termite service. Lenders often ask for one. Get a wood-destroying insect (WDI) report either way. Buying or selling? Hollow-sounding wood is another clue. Call if you see mud tubes, pellets or an indoor swarm.
What you can do yourself
Treating an active colony is harder. The product has to reach the whole colony. It also needs even coverage around the entire foundation. Store-bought sprays usually kill only the termites you see. Some of the work is yours. Pull mulch back from the foundation. Fix leaks and clear gutters. Keep firewood away from the house.
Termites in Carrollton
A typical home in Carrollton is worth around $370k, which puts a few hundred dollars for an inspection and prevention in perspective. Carrollton has a humid subtropical climate, and termites activity here tends to pick up spring swarm season (March-May), warmer earlier in the south. Around Carrollton, most of the housing is suburban, so the usual entry points, moisture spots, and sheltered areas near the structure are what an inspection checks first. Around Carrollton, take a minute to note where you have seen activity and when it appears, so the inspection is faster and the quote more accurate. A local provider who knows Carrollton and Texas can point out the specific conditions that matter most here before you commit to a plan. About 38 inches of rain a year in Carrollton is plenty for subterranean termites, especially on any side of the house kept damp by gutters or sprinklers. Texas is one of the most termite-active states in the country. An annual inspection is common sense here. With summer highs around 96°F, Carrollton's humid subtropical climate decides when local termites are busiest.
Local research
Termites in Carrollton, TX: what the public record shows
Before you compare quotes, it helps to know which termites actually live in Texas, when they are busiest around Carrollton, and what the state figures look like. Everything below links to the agency or university page it came from.
Annual subterranean termite damage in Texas
Texas is one of the costliest termite states, with both native and Formosan species.
Texas A&M AgriLife ExtensionSwarm onset in South Texas
South Texas homeowners should watch for swarmers a full season before the rest of the country.
Texas A&M AgriLife ExtensionTermite species recorded in Texas
- Eastern subterranean termite (Reticulitermes flavipes) — UGA calls it 'the most widely distributed subterranean termite, and it is the most common termite found in the eastern United States'; it swarms February through April in Georgi…
- Formosan subterranean termite (Coptotermes formosanus) — FDACS lists it in Florida, Alabama, Georgia, Louisiana, Mississippi, South Carolina, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, Texas, Arizona, California and Hawaii. Colonies contain…
When termites are busiest around Carrollton
Swarms begin in January–February in South Texas and not until April or May in the Panhandle (Texas A&M).
Texas A&M identifies the eastern subterranean and Formosan subterranean termites as the two economically important species. Termites enter via wood in direct contact with soil and by building shelter tubes over or through foundation cracks; modern termiticides provide approximately 5 years of protection and licensed professionals are recommended.
Sources: Texas A&M AgriLife Extension; Biology of Subterranean Termites in the Eastern United States (B1209); University of Missouri Extension; Formosan Termite Program. Figures are quoted as the source prints them. How we check our sources
Simple ways to keep termites away
- Trim shrubs so foundation walls stay visible and dry.
- Never leave form boards or scrap lumber in the soil.
- Inspect used furniture for drywood pellets before bringing indoors.
- Use borate-treated or pressure-treated lumber for repairs.
- Set deck and porch posts on concrete, not soil.
- Remove tree stumps and buried wood near the house.
An inspection starts outside, with a flashlight along the foundation line where mud tubes show up first.Did you know?
Some African termite mounds stand more than 25 feet tall.
Around Carrollton, a termite queen can keep laying eggs for 25 years or more.
Questions people ask
Do I have to leave my house during termite treatment?
Fumigation is different. Everyone leaves for two to three days, pets and houseplants included. Not for a soil treatment or bait stations.
What is the difference between subterranean and drywood termites?
Drywood termites live inside the wood and leave tiny pellets. Around Carrollton, the subterranean kind causes most problems. Subterranean termites live in soil and build mud tubes.
What does a WDI report include?
It also notes conditions that invite them, like wood touching soil. It only covers areas the inspector could reach. It lists any termites or damage found.
Do I need a termite inspection when buying a house?
Either way, it's cheap peace of mind. Ask your agent when it's due. Usually, yes. Many lenders ask for a wood-destroying insect (WDI) report.
What is a termite renewal contract?
83% of locations in PCT magazine's 2025 termite market report (about 145 pest-control professionals, 2024 operations) offered annual renewals.
Are termites common in Texas?
Around Carrollton, the usual culprit is the eastern subterranean termite.
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Sources (10)
The facts in this article come from the public sources listed above. Every home is different, so ask the company you talk to about pricing and what’s included. Published by Termite Exterminator · Updated September 11, 2026 · How we write these guides