How Often Should You Get a Termite Inspection?

You should get a professional termite inspection at least once a year, and sooner whenever you see warning signs, buy or sell a home, or have water damage. In South Florida, where several of the world’s most destructive termites live side by side, an annual inspection is the baseline, not a luxury.

The Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services calls an annual termite inspection a must for older homes, and NC State Extension says an annual inspection of your house is critical for anyone with a termite contract. This guide explains why once a year is the standard, when you need more, what you can check yourself between visits and what happens if you skip it.

Why Once a Year Is the Standard

Termites work out of sight. Most homeowners never see the insects themselves; they find swarmers, mud tubes or damage, often during a remodel. FDACS notes that termites may cause damage for several years before they are discovered during a remodel or a swarm.

A yearly inspection limits how long a colony can feed unnoticed. It also fits the way termite protection is sold in Florida:

• Contract renewals. UF/IFAS Extension lists annual termite renewal inspections among the core services of termite companies, and most contracts tie the warranty to that yearly visit.
• New construction. FDACS notes that preventive treatments on new homes must come with a warranty that can be renewed annually for at least four additional years.
• Treatments wear out or get bypassed. FDACS warns that construction problems and moisture can break down a soil barrier, and new slab cracks can open new routes.

What Affects How Often Your Home Should Be Inspected

Once a year is the minimum, not a fixed rule. A few features of your property decide whether you should lean toward more frequent checks.

• Age of the home. Older homes have had more time for slabs to crack, wood to dry out or rot and earlier treatments to fade, which is why FDACS singles them out.
• Past termite activity. A home that has been treated before sits in an area where termites have already proven they can find it.
• Construction details. Additions, attached garages and patios create slab joints, and siding or stucco that runs below the soil hides mud tubes. FDACS recommends that siding and foam insulation stop 6 to 8 inches above grade so the foundation stays visible.
• Moisture. Leaks, AC condensate and sprinklers wetting the walls attract subterranean termites. FDACS warns that an unrepaired leaking pipe or foundation crack may invite termites into your home.
• Trees and wood near the house. Formosan termites can nest in living trees, so large trees close to the roofline deserve a look at every visit.
• Drywood exposure. Drywood termites infest furniture, frames and other wooden items, so a home that recently received used furniture or antiques benefits from a closer check. Our Florida drywood termite profile shows the signs.

When You Need More Than One Inspection a Year

Some situations call for an inspection right away, whatever your annual schedule says.

Buying or Selling a Home

In Florida, a termite and wood-destroying organism inspection is a common part of a real estate transaction, and UF/IFAS Extension notes that it is reported on Form FDACS-13645 by a properly certified company. A buyer’s inspection is a snapshot, not a guarantee, so ask the seller whether there is an active termite contract that can be transferred.

High-Risk Neighborhoods

Broward and Miami-Dade were the first counties where Formosan and Asian subterranean termites were documented established together, and a 2026 University of Florida study found the Asian species as far north as Brevard and Hillsborough counties. UF/IFAS states that in areas with high termite density, frequent inspection and preventive treatments are critical for catching infestations early. Dense urban blocks, older housing and big trees near homes all raise the stakes.

When Termites Are Most Visible in South Florida

The best time to pay extra attention is swarm season. UF/IFAS notes that March to June is when termite activity is most visible and a good time for a termite checkup, and in South Florida swarms have been recorded starting in the last week of February.

Swarmers are winged reproductives leaving a mature colony to start new ones. A few indoors may have flown in toward your lights, but wings collecting in several rooms call for a proper inspection, UF/IFAS advises. For a full calendar, see when termite swarming season is.

What You Can Check Yourself Between Inspections

Monthly five-minute checks catch problems early. Walk the house and look for:

• Mud tubes on the foundation, slab edges, pillars and garage walls
• Wings or dead swarmers on windowsills, in light fixtures and near sinks and bathtubs
• Small piles of hard pellets under trim, window frames, furniture and in the attic, a sign of drywood termites
• Blistered or bubbling paint and wood that sounds hollow when tapped
• Doors and windows that start to stick
• Moisture problems: leaks under sinks, around water heaters and at AC drain lines

If you find something, do not spray it or break it open. Take photos, keep samples in a sealed bag and call a professional. Our guide to where termite inspectors look shows the hot spots worth checking.

What a Professional Inspection Covers

A trained inspector looks “in, under, around, behind and on top of” the places pests hide, as UF/IFAS Extension describes it. On a South Florida home, that usually means the exterior foundation and slab edges, the garage, bathrooms and kitchen plumbing, windows and doors, attic framing, wooden fences and decks attached to the house, and trees near the structure. Suspect wood is probed with a screwdriver or similar tool, as UF/IFAS recommends.

The inspector should identify the species, because it decides the treatment, and explain any conditions that invite termites, such as wood touching soil, thick mulch or sprinklers wetting the walls.

If you have bait stations, those are serviced on their own schedule; see how often termite bait stations should be checked.

What Happens If You Skip Inspections

FDACS warns that inspections may not discover termites when they first infest, so even yearly visits are not a guarantee. Skipping them makes the gap much longer. A colony can feed for years before the first visible sign, and UF/IFAS notes that subterranean colonies can cause damage rapidly. Skipping renewal inspections can also put your warranty at risk if your contract requires them.

Schedule Your Termite Inspection With Toro

Toro offers a free termite inspection for homes and businesses across Miami-Dade, Broward, Palm Beach and the Keys, including pre-purchase inspections for buyers. A trained technician identifies the termite species, checks how far any activity goes and explains the options through our termite control service, from Sentricon baiting for subterranean termites to TORO-GUARD and tent fumigation for drywood termites. Our technicians train at the TORO Institute with on-staff entomologists, and we respond within 24 hours, guaranteed. To learn more about the termites you might find, visit our termite pest library.

Contact Toro today

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Frequently Asked Questions

Educational content. This article is for general information about pests in South Florida and is not medical, legal or professional advice. If you have a bite, sting or allergic reaction, contact your doctor; in an emergency, call 911. Pest problems vary from home to home, so a licensed professional should inspect before treatment. When using any pesticide, always read and follow the product label.

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