Root Pest Library
Termite Control and Inspection for Texas Homes
Updated June 14, 2026
Termites are the pest you usually don't see until there's damage — which is what makes them the most expensive pest most Texas homeowners will face. The species doing nearly all of that damage here is the eastern subterranean termite (Reticulitermes), which lives in the soil and tunnels up into the wood of a home through pencil-width mud tubes. They work silently inside framing and trim, they're active year-round in our climate, and standard homeowners insurance almost never covers the repair. The two things that protect you are knowing the warning signs and getting on a regular inspection — because catching termites early is the difference between a treatment and a remodel.
The Texas termite you actually have
Subterranean termites nest in the ground and need soil moisture; they reach your home's wood through mud tubes on foundations, piers, and slab edges. (Drywood termites, which live entirely inside wood without soil contact, are far less common away from the coast; Formosan subterranean termites — a more aggressive variety — show up mostly in the Houston/coastal band and are uncommon in the Austin and DFW metros.) Knowing it's subterranean matters because the fix targets the soil-to-wood path, not just the visible wood.
The spring swarm — your annual warning
Once or twice a year, usually on a warm, humid day after spring rain (commonly February–May in Texas), a mature colony releases winged reproductives ("swarmers") to start new colonies. If you see a cloud of dark winged insects, or — more often — a pile of discarded, equal-length wings on a windowsill, near a door, or in a spider web, that's a colony announcing itself nearby. A swarm indoors is a strong sign of an active infestation in the structure.
The signs between swarms
Look for mud tubes running up foundation walls, piers, or in the garage; wood that sounds hollow when tapped or that's soft and crumbles along the grain; frass (subterranean species pack their tubes with mud rather than pushing out pellets like drywood termites); paint that bubbles or looks blistered; and doors or windows that suddenly stick as framing distorts. Most of this hides in crawl spaces, garages, attics, and behind trim — which is why inspections matter.
What termites cost — and why insurance won't help
Subterranean termites eat the cellulose in structural wood from the inside out, and because the damage is gradual and "preventable maintenance," standard homeowners policies treat it as excluded. By the time damage is visible, you may be looking at framing, trim, or subfloor repair on top of treatment — which is exactly why early detection is the whole game.
DIY vs. a pro — honestly
This is the pest where DIY has the least to offer. You can reduce risk — keep mulch and soil below the slab line, fix leaks and downspouts, move firewood off the foundation, and keep wood from touching soil — but you can't reliably inspect inside walls, you can't install a continuous soil barrier or bait system correctly, and a missed colony keeps eating. Termite control is genuinely a licensed-professional job, both for the treatment and for the inspection that finds the problem in the first place.
How Root handles termites
We start with a thorough inspection of the foundation, slab edges, garage, attic, and the moisture conditions that invite termites in, and we show you exactly what we find. Treatment targets the soil-to-structure path — the route subterranean termites must use — and we help you correct the moisture and wood-contact conditions that keep a home vulnerable. Because we live in these same neighborhoods, we know the local soil and construction patterns that drive termite pressure here. If you suspect termites or you've seen swarmers, getting an inspection on the calendar is the most valuable thing you can do.
Frequently Asked Questions
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