Termite Exterminator in McKinney, Allen & Frisco
Termite Control in McKinney, Allen & Frisco
Termites cause more structural damage across Texas each year than storms and floods combined. Most homeowners never see them coming. We inspect, identify the species, and treat before it goes further.
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Termite Exterminator in McKinney, Allen, Frisco & Collin County
The Eastern subterranean termite lives underground and enters homes through the foundation without ever breaking a visible surface. Most McKinney homeowners discover an active infestation when they press on a baseboard or door frame and find hollow wood behind it. By that point, the colony has often been feeding for two or more years.
A second species, the Formosan subterranean termite, is now confirmed in Collin County. Formosan colonies are larger, eat faster, and can nest inside wall cavities above the foundation when there is a moisture source nearby. Which species is present determines how we treat. We inspect first, identify the species, and then treat the right areas.
- Wood touching the ground is an open invitation.
- Fence posts in soil, deck framing at the slab edge, and firewood stacked against the house are the three most common entry paths we find. Move firewood away from the structure and keep wood landscape materials off soil contact at the foundation.
- Moisture problems make everything worse.
- Termites need moisture to survive. A leaking condensate line, a clogged gutter saturating soil at the foundation, or a slow plumbing leak under a slab gives them everything they need to stay. Fix moisture first, regardless of what treatment approach is used.
- Wings on the windowsill are not flying ants.
- Termite swarmers shed two equal-length wings that pile up on windowsills in late winter and spring. Flying ant wings are two different sizes and stay attached to the body. A pile of small uniform wings near a window in February through May is reason to call for an inspection.
Two Termite Species in McKinney TX and Collin County. Two Different Treatment Strategies.
Species identification shapes the treatment plan. Eastern and Formosan subterranean termites are both present in Collin County and require different approaches when activity is found above the foundation. Each species has a dedicated page in our Pest Library.
Eastern Subterranean Termite
AKA: Wood Termite, Subterranean Termite
Most common termite in Collin County. Lives underground. Enters homes through the foundation with no visible surface warning.
Lives underground and builds mud tubes along the foundation to reach wood above. Rarely visible without a deliberate inspection. Most active February through May when swarmers emerge, and again in late summer when foraging is heaviest.
Present throughout all 14 cities in the service area. Highest activity in older McKinney neighborhoods east of US-75, Plano properties near Spring Creek, and anywhere with mature landscaping that keeps soil moisture elevated through summer.
A paid inspection using in-wall detection equipment confirms where feeding is active. Spot treatment at confirmed entry points eliminates the active colony. Eastern subterranean termites rarely require foam void treatment since they cannot establish aerial colonies. In-ground bait stations around the foundation provide ongoing annual monitoring.
Formosan Subterranean Termite
AKA: Super Termite, Formosan Termite
Larger colonies and faster wood consumption than Eastern. Now confirmed in Collin County. Can nest inside walls above the foundation.
Primarily soil-dwelling like Eastern, but Formosan colonies can build nests inside wall cavities without soil contact when they have access to structural moisture from a roof leak or plumbing failure. Swarmers emerge at dusk in May and June.
Highest watch areas are older McKinney historic district properties, older eastern Plano subdivisions east of US-75, and Carrollton older sections. Confirmed in Collin County per October 2025 Texas Plant Protection Regulations.
Soil-level liquid treatment and bait stations address the colony in the ground. When aerial nest activity is confirmed by in-wall detection, foam treatment injected into the affected wall cavity reaches the nest that soil-level work alone cannot contact. The same Trelona bait stations used for Eastern work for Formosan. The moisture source driving the aerial colony is also identified and documented.
Trelona Bait Stations: In-Ground Termite Monitoring
Trelona ATBS in-ground termite bait station. Two bait cartridges pre-loaded at installation. Cap sits flush at soil level next to the foundation.
The Trelona ATBS station is installed in the soil around your foundation perimeter, typically at 10-foot intervals. Each station contains a pre-loaded bait cartridge. Termites prefer this bait over structural wood. When foraging workers find a station, they feed, return to the colony, and share the bait with other colony members through normal feeding contact. Over weeks and months, the active ingredient works through the colony and leads to its decline.
Liquid treatment eliminates the colony feeding on your structure today. What it cannot do is detect the next colony that finds your foundation in three or five years. As long as your home sits on a slab in North Texas soil, new termite activity will eventually find it. In-ground bait stations intercept that activity before it reaches your foundation, year after year.
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1Installed flush at soil level around the foundationStations are auger-dug and set at 10-foot intervals so the cap sits at or just below grade. A typical residential install is done in half a day. Every station position is mapped for the annual visit.
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2Termites find the station during normal foraging
The station design features large vertical openings that maximize soil contact, making it easy for foraging termites to enter and find the bait. In a university study, termites found the Trelona station in a median of 8 days. The leading competitor’s station took 46 days. Source: University of Delaware, 20 replicates.
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3Active ingredient moves through the colony via food sharingWorkers carry the bait back and share it with the colony through normal feeding behavior. The active ingredient prevents termites from molting successfully. Colony members that never visited the station are affected through this chain. Decline typically takes 60 to 90 days in warmer months.
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4Annual visit opens and checks every stationAt the annual visit, every station is opened, the bait cartridge inspected, and replaced if consumed. A consumed cartridge means the program is working. Heavy consumption at any station may prompt adding a supplemental station nearby. The visit also includes a full structural re-inspection of the property.
In-Wall Detection: How We Find Termites Before Opening Walls
Thermal detection device pressed flat against the wall. No drilling. No damage to drywall or tile. Used during every paid termite inspection.
A visual inspection confirms activity where there is already visible damage, mud tubes, or swarmers. It cannot confirm activity inside a wall where termites are feeding but have not broken through any surface yet. In-wall detection technology fills that gap.
The Termatrac T3i uses low-energy microwave radar to detect movement through drywall, timber, tile, and plaster up to about 4 inches deep. The technician holds the device against the wall and moves it along surfaces in areas of suspected activity. Termite movement inside the wall creates a measurable change in the reflected signal, displayed in real time. No drilling, no opening of walls, no disturbance to the termites.
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1Device held flush against the wall surfaceNo drilling, tapping, or cutting. The technician works along baseboards, window frames, and door frames in areas where visual evidence or moisture readings suggest activity. Termites stay undisturbed and remain detectable.
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2Microwave radar picks up movement inside the wallTermites in an active colony are in near-constant motion. Workers travel through galleries, soldiers patrol, and reproductives move through the nest. All of that movement creates a detectable signal that the device reads in real time.
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3Findings are photographed and documentedEvery area tested and every positive detection is photographed and filed as part of your service record. This gives us a documented baseline to compare against at future visits.
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4Treatment targets confirmed locations, not guessworkBecause the device shows exactly where termites are in the wall, foam treatment goes directly into that cavity at the right spot rather than being applied broadly. Less disruption to your home, more effective treatment of the actual colony.
Wall Void Foam Treatment: Reaching the Colony Behind the Surface
One small injection point fills the entire stud bay. Foam expands at a 30-to-1 ratio, coats all interior surfaces where termites travel, then collapses leaving a residual treatment layer.
Bait stations and liquid soil treatment address termites traveling through the soil. When a Formosan colony has established a nest inside a wall cavity above grade, or when Eastern termite feeding is confirmed inside structural framing, the colony is physically separated from anything applied at soil level. The only way to reach it is from inside the wall cavity.
Foam is injected through a small access point into the wall cavity where detection equipment confirmed termite activity. One ounce of product expands to about one quart of foam within seconds, filling the void completely. The foam coats every interior surface where termites are traveling, then collapses back down leaving a residual treatment layer. The active ingredient spreads through contact as termites move through the treated cavity, reaching colony members that the foam never directly touched.
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1Activity confirmed before any access is madeThe technician uses detection equipment to confirm active movement in the cavity first. This prevents unnecessary drilling and identifies exactly which section of the wall needs treatment.
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2Foam injected through a small access pointA small hole is made in an inconspicuous location. The foam expands at a 30-to-1 ratio, so one injection fills a large cavity. Most access points can be patched with a standard repair after treatment.
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3Foam fills the void and coats all interior surfacesAs the foam expands and collapses, it leaves a residual layer on every stud, drywall face, and structural surface inside the treated section. Termites moving through that area contact the treatment regardless of where they enter.
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4Active ingredient spreads through the colony via contactThe active ingredient is non-repellent. Termites do not detect or avoid the treated area. They pick it up on their bodies and spread it to other colony members through grooming and feeding, including members the foam never directly reached.
Do Bait Stations Have to Go Around the Whole House?
This is one of the most common questions homeowners ask. Here is the straightforward answer.
Termite colonies send foraging workers in every direction through the soil, hundreds of feet from the main nest. There is no way to predict which side of your foundation they will reach first, or where the next colony will approach from in the future. A ring of stations around the full perimeter intercepts foraging activity regardless of which direction it comes from.
When an inspection finds active feeding at a specific entry point, we treat that location directly. Full-perimeter liquid trenching is not applied by default on every job. The scope is determined by what the inspection finds.
Bait stations go around the full foundation as the annual monitoring component of every service agreement. The goal is detection coverage on all sides of the structure, year after year, so any new colony approaching from any direction is intercepted before it finds a way in.
Eliminating the colony that was feeding on your home does not change the soil environment around it. Your foundation will keep attracting foraging activity from other colonies over time. In-ground bait stations are the long-term investment that catches that pressure before it becomes another infestation requiring active treatment. Because Pest Me Off also handles quarterly general pest service, a trained technician is walking the exterior of your home throughout the year, not just at the annual termite visit.
How Our Termite Service Works: The RID Method
Every initial termite service follows all three steps. Annual service subscribers get the full RID system at every annual visit, including the Defend step that keeps stations active and the structure monitored year-round.
Remove
We start with a paid inspection to confirm the species and map where feeding is active. If activity is found, we treat it the same visit.
- Paid inspection using in-wall detection equipment that finds movement behind walls without drilling
- Spot treatment at confirmed active entry points and feeding zones
- Targeted liquid application along affected foundation sections where inspection findings warrant it
- Foam treatment into wall voids where above-slab feeding or aerial Formosan activity is confirmed
- Every treatment location photographed and documented
Install
We install Trelona in-ground bait stations around the full foundation perimeter. Active from day one. No waiting period.
- Stations placed at approximately 10-foot intervals in the soil, 2 to 4 feet from the foundation
- Each station pre-loaded with bait cartridge at installation
- Workers that find and feed on a station share the active ingredient with the colony through normal feeding contact
- Every station position documented and mapped for the annual visit
- Foam treatment installed in confirmed above-grade voids where in-wall detection found active movement
Defend
The Defend step is included with every annual service visit. This is what protects your investment over time.
- Full structural re-inspection at each annual visit, including in-wall detection scan of prior activity areas
- Every bait station opened, cartridge inspected, and replaced if consumed
- Consumed cartridges at annual inspection confirm the monitoring program is working as intended
- Moisture inspection to identify new structural moisture sources that raise termite risk
- Quarterly pest visits mean a trained technician is observing your foundation exterior throughout the year
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Most McKinney homeowners do not find termites until a repair is already overdue. A same-day inspection tells you what is happening behind your walls right now.
Termite Exterminator Near Me
Same-day termite inspections throughout every city below. Each card links to that city’s pest control page.
Older homes east of US-75 with mature landscaping are the highest-frequency termite inspection addresses we service in Allen. Eastern subterranean termite activity is consistent throughout Allen’s established neighborhoods year-round. Same-day termite inspection available throughout Allen TX.
Anna TXNewer construction in Anna is not immune. Disturbed soil during construction and wood debris left in the ground are two of the most common ways new homes develop termite activity in the first few years. Same-day termite inspection available throughout Anna TX.
Carrollton TXCarrollton’s older sections with mature trees and established landscaping are on the Formosan subterranean termite watch list. Eastern subterranean termites are active throughout Carrollton year-round. Same-day termite inspection available throughout Carrollton TX.
Celina TXActive development in Celina means construction soil disturbance throughout the area. Homes completed in the past five years should have an inspection scheduled, particularly if wood debris was not fully removed during the build. Same-day termite inspection available throughout Celina TX.
Fairview TXEstate properties in Heritage Ranch with mature tree canopy, creek-adjacent lots, and large wood landscape structures carry higher Eastern subterranean termite risk than the Collin County average. Same-day termite inspection available throughout Fairview TX.
Farmersville TXRural properties in Farmersville with outbuildings, wood fencing in soil contact, and firewood stored near structures have elevated termite exposure. Eastern subterranean termites are the primary species throughout Farmersville. Same-day termite inspection available.
Frisco TXFrisco has a wide range of structure ages, from brand-new builds in far north Frisco to older homes near the Plano border. Eastern subterranean termites are active throughout Frisco year-round. Same-day termite inspection available throughout Frisco TX.
Little Elm TXLakeside properties near Lake Lewisville with elevated soil moisture, mature tree canopy, and wood landscape structures have higher termite activity than inland areas. Eastern subterranean termites are the primary species in Little Elm. Same-day termite inspection available.
McKinney TXOlder McKinney neighborhoods east of US-75 and the historic district carry the highest Eastern subterranean termite activity in the service area. Formosan termites are on the watch list for historic district properties with recycled timber. Same-day termite inspection available throughout McKinney TX.
Melissa TXEastern subterranean termites are active throughout Melissa. Properties with wood-to-soil contact at fences, decks, and landscape structures carry the highest individual risk. Same-day termite inspection available throughout Melissa TX.
Plano TXOlder eastern Plano subdivisions east of US-75 are on the Formosan subterranean termite watch list. Eastern subterranean termite activity is consistent throughout all Plano neighborhoods. Same-day termite inspection available throughout Plano TX.
Princeton TXPrinceton’s mix of older properties and active new construction creates diverse termite risk profiles across the city. Eastern subterranean termites are the primary species throughout Princeton. Same-day termite inspection available throughout Princeton TX.
Prosper TXNew construction in Prosper faces the same soil disturbance risk as other fast-growing Collin County cities. Eastern subterranean termites are active in the soil throughout Prosper year-round, regardless of build year. Same-day termite inspection available throughout Prosper TX.
The Colony TXProperties near Lake Lewisville sit in elevated moisture conditions that support higher Eastern subterranean termite activity. Established neighborhoods with mature tree canopy carry consistent year-round termite risk. Same-day termite inspection available in The Colony TX.