The short version
Most termite problems in Tempe are desert subterranean termites, and the usual fix is a liquid soil treatment or bait stations, placed where the soil stays damp. Drywood termites need fumigation or wood treatment instead. Start with an inspection; $75–$250 is typical.
- Look for mud tubes, shed wings and hollow-sounding wood.
- Swarms usually show up from July through September.
- Drywood termites need wood treatment or fumigation instead.
- An inspection typically costs $75–$250.
- Insurance usually doesn’t cover termite damage.
Homeowners, landlords and anyone buying or selling a house in Tempe, whether you've spotted something or just want to know what to watch for.
What to look for
Termites work quietly. A colony can feed inside a wall for years. Winters around Tempe stay mild, with average lows near 43°F, so colonies keep feeding all year. Spongy floors or bubbling paint usually mean long-running damage. So it's worth an inspection, even for one or two signs.
- 1Termite activity reported at a neighbor's home.
- 2Tiny pinholes in drywall rimmed with mud.
- 3Wood that sounds hollow when tapped.
- 4Doors and windows that suddenly stick.
- 5Damage found during a remodel or repair.
- 6Mud tubes running up foundation walls or piers.
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.
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Termite activity through the year in Tempe
Spring
swarm season in Tempe, usually after monsoon storms. Watch porch lights at dusk.
Summer
with highs around 106°F in Tempe, termites follow moisture, so watch AC drain lines, sprinkler zones and hose bibs.
Fall
with about 9 inches of rain a year in Tempe, make sure gutters and downspouts carry water well away from the foundation.
Winter
a good time to book an inspection in Tempe, 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
Fumigation for Drywood Termites
$1,200–$4,000 (often $1–$4 per square foot)
Fumigation does not treat subterranean termites living in the soil. A Tempe home with both species may need a soil barrier as well as the tent.
- Time
- 2–3 days including tenting and aeration
- Best for
- Widespread drywood termites throughout a structure
Liquid Soil Termiticide Barrier
$1,200–$3,500 (often $3–$16 per linear foot)
A soil barrier stops termites from reaching wood through the ground. For most Tempe homes with active subterranean termites, this is the fastest way to end feeding.
- Time
- Half a day to a full day
- Best for
- Active subterranean termites; fast knockdown around the foundation
Annual Renewal and Monitoring
$150–$400 per year
Termites do not stop foraging after a treatment, so monitoring matters. Yearly visits to a Tempe home catch new tubes before they reach framing.
- 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 Tempe home.
Under patios and garage floors, they drill small holes. Treatment goes in through the holes, which get patched afterward. Bait stations are the other main option. They're spaced every 10 to 20 feet. Termites carry the bait back to the colony. The stations are checked on a schedule, often every few months. Across Tempe, on a slab, the crew treats the soil along the outside walls.
Which termites live around Tempe.
It nests in soil and builds mud tubes to reach wood. It needs steady moisture. Drywood termites turn up now and then, mostly in older wood. Look for tiny piles of hard, sand-like pellets. In Tempe's dry heat, desert subterranean termites can build tubes that hang free from ceilings. They'll eat fences, door frames, anything wooden. The termite you're most likely to meet in Tempe is the desert subterranean termite.
Subterranean termites don't stop in winter; they just go deeper. A quiet season is a good time for a non-urgent inspection.When termites swarm here.
Across Tempe, desert subterranean termites usually swarm from July through September, around dusk after monsoon storms. Drywood termites swarm on spring and summer evenings, often near lights. A swarm outside means a colony is nearby. A swarm inside usually means it's in the house. Save a few in a bag, or snap a clear photo. Swarm season is when termites show themselves.
Where to look around your house.
Check the garage edges and behind baseboards. Look where pipes come through the floor. Outside, watch for mud tubes behind shrubs. Keep soil and mulch below the slab edge. The same advice applies across the area, from Tempe out to Scottsdale and Mesa. Many homes in Tempe sit on concrete slabs, so termites come up through expansion joints, plumbing gaps and settlement cracks.
A year of termites in Tempe.
- Winter: a good time to book an inspection in Tempe, before swarm season starts. - Summer: swarm season in Tempe, usually after monsoon storms. Watch porch lights at dusk. - Summer: with highs around 106°F in Tempe, termites follow moisture, so watch AC drain lines, sprinkler zones and hose bibs. - Fall: with about 9 inches of rain a year in Tempe, make sure gutters and downspouts carry water well away from the foundation.
What happens at an inspection.
The inspector walks the outside of the house first. They check the foundation, the soil line and nearby wood. Inside, they check the garage, baseboards, plumbing gaps and the attic. On a slab, they focus on joints, cracks and pipe gaps. A moisture meter and a probe help them find hidden activity. Afterward, ask them to show you what they found. Photos help. Most inspections take an hour or two.
Termites or ants?
- Tunnels: termite galleries are packed with mud. Ant tunnels are clean and smooth. - Wings: termite wings are all the same length. Ant wings aren’t. - Waist: termites are thick through the middle. Ants are pinched. - Antennae: termite antennae are straight. Ant antennae bend like an elbow. - Debris: termites leave mud. Carpenter ants leave sawdust.
Getting ready for treatment day.
Clear a walking path along the exterior walls. Move boxes away from garage walls. Flag sprinkler heads and buried lines. Keep kids and pets inside while the Tempe crew applies the product, and ask how long to stay off treated soil. In Arizona, heterotermes aureus flies in late afternoon or early evening in July, August and September (UC IPM), the summer monsoon months; drywood swarmers fly in daytime in summer and fall. Drill holes in slabs or patios get patched afterward. Prep is light for liquid treatments and bait stations.
Mulch and termites.
A dry gap along the house makes mud tubes easier to spot; in Tempe's dry climate the risk is irrigation and leaky hose bibs rather than rain. Wood chips touching the siding trap the moisture termites are after. Pull mulch back from the foundation and keep the layer thin.
Questions to ask before you sign.
- What do I need to do before and after treatment? - Which termites did you find, and where? - What product or system will you use? - Is the whole foundation treated, or just one spot? - What does the warranty cover, and for how long? - What does the yearly renewal cost?
What affects the price
- Local labor rates and licensing requirements.
- Linear feet of foundation to be treated.
- Time of year and how booked up local companies are.
- Attached garages, decks, and additions.
- Warranty type: retreatment only or damage repair.
- Wells, drains, or water features limiting chemical use.
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What's your biggest concern about termites?
When to call for help
Lenders often ask for one. It's also the cheapest termite service. Carpenter ants leave clean tunnels and sawdust. Termites leave mud. Call if you see mud tubes, pellets or an indoor swarm. Hollow-sounding wood is another clue. Buying or selling? Get a wood-destroying insect (WDI) report either way.
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 Tempe
Tempe only sees about 9 inches of rain a year, so local termites gather wherever water collects, like sprinkler zones, hose bibs and AC drain lines. Termite activity in Arizona is above average. Most houses will see termites at some point. With summer highs around 106°F, Tempe's hot desert climate decides when local termites are busiest. A typical home in Tempe is worth around $430k, which puts a few hundred dollars for an inspection and prevention in perspective. Tempe has a hot desert climate, and termites activity here tends to pick up spring swarm season (March-May), warmer earlier in the south. Across Tempe, most of the housing is urban, so the usual entry points, moisture spots, and sheltered areas near the structure are what an inspection checks first. Across Tempe, 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 Tempe and Arizona can point out the specific conditions that matter most here before you commit to a plan.
Local research
Termites in Tempe, AZ: what the public record shows
Before you compare quotes, it helps to know which termites actually live in Arizona, when they are busiest around Tempe, and what the state figures look like. Everything below links to the agency or university page it came from.
Termite species recorded in Arizona
- 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…
- Western drywood termite (Incisitermes minor) — UC IPM: 'California's second most important termite pest', 'commonly found along the Pacific coastal region extending into the Central Valley and deserts of Southern California'…
- Desert subterranean termite (Heterotermes aureus) — UA Extension calls it an 'important structural pest' of the desert Southwest. UC IPM: 'flies in the late afternoon or early evening in July, August, and September'.
When termites are busiest around Tempe
Heterotermes aureus flies in late afternoon or early evening in July, August and September (UC IPM), the summer monsoon months; drywood swarmers fly in daytime in summer and fall.
UA Extension: Heterotermes aureus is an 'important structural pest'; Gnathamitermes tubiformans (desert termite) is common but 'NOT a structural pest at all'; Reticulitermes tibialis is 'widespread'; drywood species Incisitermes minor and Marginitermes hubbardi occur. FDACS lists Arizona among Formosan states.
Sources: Not All Termites Are Terrible (Home and School IPM Newsletter); University of Georgia Extension; University of Missouri Extension; Formosan Termite Program; Drywood Termites (Pest Notes). Figures are quoted as the source prints them. How we check our sources
Simple ways to keep termites away
- Fix leaking hose bibs, faucets, and pipes promptly.
- Use borate-treated or pressure-treated lumber for repairs.
- Screen attic and foundation vents with fine mesh.
- Seal cracks in the foundation and slab.
- Paint or seal exposed exterior wood.
- Install a vapor barrier over crawl space soil.
In an apartment building, termites travel through shared walls and slab joints, so one unit's problem is the whole building's problem.Did you know?
Across Tempe, soldier termites can't feed themselves, so the workers feed them mouth to mouth.
Questions people ask
What does a WDI report include?
It lists any termites or damage found. It also notes conditions that invite them, like wood touching soil. It only covers areas the inspector could reach.
Will termites come back after treatment?
They can. Treatments wear down and new colonies move in. That's what yearly inspections and renewal plans are for.
Can termites damage a house on a concrete slab?
Yes. They come up through expansion joints, plumbing gaps and small cracks. Most homes around Tempe sit on slabs, so inspectors check those spots first.
What is the difference between subterranean and drywood termites?
Subterranean termites live in soil and build mud tubes. Drywood termites live inside the wood and leave tiny pellets. Around Tempe, the subterranean kind causes most problems.
How much does termite treatment cost?
Across Tempe, termites are best caught early through inspection, because the damage is hidden inside wood until it is far along. Across Tempe, a professional inspection looks for mud tubes, damaged wood, and swarming activity, and treatment targets the soil and the colony rather than just the visible wood.
Are termites common in Arizona?
Around Tempe, the usual culprit is the desert subterranean termite.
Nearby cities
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Sources (11)
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