Top Termite Control Solutions: What Works Best?

Living in Maricopa County comes with a few guarantees: scorching summers, beautiful sunsets, and eventually, the panic of finding a mud tube crawling up your foundation. It’s a sinking feeling, honestly, realizing your biggest investment is being eaten from the inside out, but you aren’t alone in this. Let’s walk through exactly what works to stop these desert destroyers so you can get back to sleeping soundly.

The Arizona Termite Reality: Why Us?

You know the old saying around the Valley? There are two types of homes in Arizona: those that have termites, and those that will get them. It sounds like a scare tactic, but if you’ve lived here for more than a few years, you know it’s just the truth. Our soil is absolutely teeming with Heterotermes—that’s the fancy name for our local native Subterranean termite.

Unlike other parts of the country where termites might take a break during winter, our Pests are relentless. They are active 24/7, 365 days a year. They don’t sleep.

The problem isn’t just that they eat wood. It’s how they get to it. Most homes here in Phoenix, Mesa, and Scottsdale are built on slab foundations. You might think, “Great, concrete! Termites can’t eat that.” And you’d be right. But concrete cracks. It settles. And these little guys only need a gap the thickness of a Business card to squeeze through and start chewing on your wall studs.

The Heavy Hitter: Liquid Soil Treatments

When people ask me what the “gold standard” is, my mind usually goes straight to liquid termiticides. Specifically, non-repellent liquid treatments.

Back in the day, exterminators used repellents. The idea was to create a chemical wall that termites couldn’t cross. Sounds good on paper, right? But here’s the thing—termites are smart, or at least persistent. If there was a tiny gap in that chemical barrier (and in our rocky, caliche-filled soil, gaps happen), they would find it.

How Non-Repellents Change the Game

Modern solutions like Termidor HE work differently. They are undetectable to the termites. The workers tunnel through the treated soil blissfully unaware that they’ve just walked through a death sentence.

They don’t die instantly, though. That’s the genius part. They pick up the chemical on their bodies and carry it back to the colony. Through grooming and feeding—termites are very social creatures—they transfer the poison to the queen and the rest of the crew. It’s called the “Transfer Effect.”

Why homeowners love it:

• Speed: It usually wipes out colonies within 90 days.
• Longevity: A good application can last a decade or more.
• Peace of mind: It creates a continuous treated zone around your home.

The process involves trenching around the foundation and drilling into the concrete where necessary (like your garage or patio). It sounds invasive, and yeah, it’s a bit of construction work, but it’s the most aggressive way to protect a structure.

The Stealth Approach: Termite Bait Stations

Maybe you have a beautiful custom stamped concrete patio, or you just hate the idea of drilling holes in your slab. I get it. This is where bait stations come into the conversation.

Think of this as the “Trojan Horse” method.

We install stations in the ground around the perimeter of your home, usually about 10 to 15 feet apart. Inside these stations, there is wood or a cellulose material that termites actually prefer over the wood in your house.

The Science Behind the Bait

Once the termites find the station, they signal their buddies: “Hey, free buffet over here!” We then swap that wood out for a bait cartridge laced with an Insect Growth Regulator (IGR).

Here is a weird fact about termites: they have to molt (shed their skin) to grow. The IGR stops them from molting. If they can’t molt, they die. And since the workers die off, nobody is left to feed the queen. The colony collapses.

Why you might choose baits:

• Less Invasive: No drilling, no trenching, no noise.
• Environmentally Friendly: The chemical is contained in the station, not pumped into the soil.
• Continuous Monitoring: It forces a pro to check your home regularly.

However, it is a slower process. It relies on the termites finding the bait, which can take time. If you have an active, raging infestation right now, we might not recommend starting only with bait.

Quick Comparison: What Fits Your Home?

Sometimes it helps to just see it laid out. Here is a quick breakdown of how these two heavyweights stack up against each other.

Wood Treatments (The Borate Shield)

You might have heard of something called “borate” or Tim-bor. This is a salt-based product that is applied directly to the wood.

Honestly? This is mostly a solution for new construction or during major renovations when the walls are open (“down to the studs”). If your house is already built and you aren’t planning to rip off all the drywall, this isn’t going to be your primary solution.

That said, if you are building a custom home in Maricopa County, insist on a borate pre-treat. The framers spray the wood skeletons of the house to about two feet up from the foundation. It penetrates the wood and makes it inedible to termites. It’s cheap insurance during the build phase.

A Quick Word on “DIY” Solutions

Look, I love a good DIY project. I paint my own walls and change my own oil. But when it comes to termites in Arizona? Just don’t.

I have seen so many homeowners go to the big box store, buy a jug of “Termite Killer,” and spray it around the base of their house. They see a few dead bugs and think, “Problem solved.”

Here is the thing: store-bought chemicals are usually repellents (which we already established don’t work well) and they are in very weak concentrations. All you are doing is killing the few scouts you see. Meanwhile, the colony of 300,000 termites underground just shifts five feet to the left and keeps eating your bathroom framing.

You are treating the symptom, not the disease. Plus, the equipment needed to inject chemical deep into the soil—where the termites actually live—isn’t something you can rent easily.

The “Invisible” Problem: Drywood Termites

We’ve mostly talked about subterranean termites because they are the main headache in the Valley. But we also have Drywood Termites.

These guys don’t need contact with the soil. They fly in, land on your eaves or attic vents, and set up shop directly inside the wood.

How do you know if you have them?

• Frass: This is the tell-tale sign. It looks like little piles of sawdust or sand, but it’s actually termite poop pellets. (Gross, I know).
• Kick-out holes: Tiny holes in the wood where they push the frass out.

Liquid soil treatments won’t touch these guys because they don’t touch the ground. Treatment here usually involves spot treating with wood injections or, in severe cases, tenting the whole house for fumigation. If you see sawdust piles that reappear after you sweep them up, call a pro immediately.

Prevention: What You Can Do Today

While you can’t chemically treat the soil yourself effectively, there are things you can do to make your home less tasty.

1. Fix the Leaks:
Subterranean termites love moisture. A leaky spigot or an A/C unit dripping right next to the foundation is like putting out a welcome mat. Keep the perimeter dry.

2. Watch the Landscaping:
We all love mulch. It keeps moisture in for our plants. But if you pile wood mulch right up against your stucco, you are literally feeding the enemy and giving them a bridge into your home. Keep mulch and plants a few inches away from the house walls.

3. The “Cardboard” Factor:
Do you have a stack of cardboard boxes in the garage sitting on the floor? Termites love cardboard. It’s basically processed cellulose candy to them. Put those boxes on metal shelving.

Why an Inspection Matters More Than Treatment

Here is a little secret from the industry: The most valuable thing a pest control company provides isn’t the chemical; it’s the eyes of the inspector.

You might walk past a tiny mud spot on your ceiling everyday and think it’s just dirt. A trained technician looks at that and knows it’s a “drop tube” from a colony in the attic. We know how to sound the baseboards to hear that hollow, crinkly sound that means the wood is gone.

In Arizona, you should get a Termite Inspection every year. Think of it like a dental checkup. You want to catch the cavity before you need a root canal. If you catch termites early, the repair bill is minimal. If you wait until the wall is sagging? That gets expensive fast.

Let’s Protect Your Home

Termites in Arizona aren’t a matter of luck; they are a force of nature. But that doesn’t mean you have to let them win. Whether it’s the immediate knockout power of a liquid barrier or the long-term strategic protection of bait stations, there is a solution that fits your home and your budget.

Don’t wait until you see a swarm in your living room. If you are hearing odd scratching sounds in the walls, seeing mud tubes on the foundation, or just want the peace of mind that comes with a professional check-up, we are here to help.

Arizona Termite Control has been protecting Maricopa County homes for years. We know the local pests, we know the construction styles, and we know how to get the job done right the first time.

Call us today at 480-660-3093

Or simply click here to [Request a Free Inspection]

Let us handle the bugs so you can get back to enjoying your home.