Spot Treatment vs Full Treatment: How To Avoid Paying Twice For Termite Control
- Jameson Elam
- 3 days ago
- 5 min read
The Real Question: “Can I Just Treat This One Area?”
Most homeowners start here:
There is damage in one spot.
Or swarmers in one room.
Or frass by one window.
The natural thought is, "Can we just treat this part and be done?"
Sometimes the true answer is yes. A good local treatment can solve a small, well defined problem. Other times, that choice leads to a second job a few years later, plus repairs that could have been avoided.
At Good Sense Termite, we see both outcomes all the time. With more than 14 years of inspecting Bay Area homes, we have watched people either save money with smart spot work or spend more because a larger issue was never addressed.
This post will walk through:
What spot treatment really means
What full treatment really means
When each is a smart choice
When a “cheap” fix quietly turns into paying twice
What Is Spot Treatment For Termites?
Spot treatment (also called localized treatment) focuses on specific, known areas where termite activity has been confirmed.
Examples:
Foam or injection into a Drywood gallery in a window frame
Localized treatment of an isolated fascia board or rafter tail
Treating a small section of subfloor or sill plate where activity is clearly limited
Spot work is usually:
Lower in cost up front
Less disruptive
Limited in scope and protection
It can be very effective when:
The infestation is early and truly localized
The area is fully accessible
The type of termite is well understood
The rest of the structure and soil checks out clean
What Is A “Full Treatment” For Termites?
Full treatment does not always mean tenting. It means treating the full pattern of risk, not just one visible spot.
That can look like:
For Subterranean termites:
Perimeter soil treatment around key parts of the foundation
Trenching or drilling where needed
Possible interior point treatments near plumbing or expansion joints
For Drywood termites:
Multiple localized injection points across several areas
In some cases, whole-structure fumigation when colonies are widespread and inaccessible
For high risk structures:
Subarea work in the crawlspace
Treating multiple decks or contact points, not only the one that looked worst
A full treatment plan focuses on:
The colony, not just the symptom
The structure, not just one board
The future, not only the current escrow or project
When Spot Treatment Can Be The Right Call
We do plenty of localized work. There are times when a full treatment is unnecessary and would not be fair to recommend.
Spot treatment can be a smart choice when:
1. The Termite Activity Is Clearly Isolated
Example: A single Drywood colony in one accessible piece of trim or a window header, with clean findings in the surrounding area and no activity elsewhere.
2. The Home Has Good Overall Conditions
If there is:
Limited earth-to-wood contact
No major moisture issues near the foundation
No history of repeated termite problems
then treating one problem area can be reasonable.
3. The Owner Understands The Limits
Spot work only protects what is treated. It does not protect:
The rest of the house
The rest of the soil
Future entry points
When a homeowner understands that clearly and still prefers a local solution, it can be a good fit.
At Good Sense Termite, we are comfortable saying, “A small local job is enough here,” when the inspection truly supports that.
When Spot Treatment Backfires And You Pay Twice
We also see the other side of the story: homes where the first treatment was small and cheap, and the second one was not.
Spot treatment often fails in these situations:
1. Subterranean Termites In The Soil, Not Just The Wood
Subterranean termites live in the ground and move through mud tubes. If you only treat the one area where they surfaced, you are ignoring the source.
Common pattern:
Mud tubes scraped off and one section treated
No soil treatment, no perimeter work
Colony remains active in the soil
New tubes or damage appear in a different part of the house later
The owner feels like the original treatment “did not work,” when in reality it was never set up to address the real problem.
2. Multiple Entry Points, One Spot Treated
If a home has several conducive conditions, such as:
Planter boxes against siding
Decks or stairs with soil contact
Cracks in stucco near the foundation
Poor drainage and constant moisture around one side
then termites often have more than one way in.
Treating the one area where they showed up first without addressing the rest is like fixing one leak in a roof full of holes.
3. Incomplete Inspections Before The Spot Work
If the original inspection:
Did not include the crawlspace
Did not include the attic
Did not clearly address all exterior sides
then “spot work” is based on partial information.
We have been called to homes where:
A small treatment was done on a wall
No one checked the subarea below
Years later, we find extensive damage under the house that likely existed at the time of the first treatment
In those cases, the homeowner has now paid for:
The original small job
A larger full treatment
Structural repairs
That is what we mean by paying twice.
Cost: Cheap Today Or Reasonable Over Time?
It is normal to compare prices and lean toward the smaller number on the page.
A better comparison is:
Cost of a one time treatment that truly addresses the scale of the problemvs
Cost of a partial fix, plus a second treatment later, plus repairs
We see many jobs where the “cheapest” route ended up being the most expensive. For example:
$650 on a quick local treatment
A couple of years of slow hidden damage
$2,300 on a second, larger treatment
$8,500 on subfloor or framing repair
If a full treatment is not truly needed, we say so. If a full treatment is the smart option, especially with clear evidence, we say that too and explain why.
How Good Sense Termite Helps You Choose The Right Level Of Treatment
We never want you guessing.
Our inspectors:
Perform a full inspection, including crawlspace and attic access where possible
Identify the species: Drywood, Subterranean, or both
Map the pattern of activity and conducive conditions
Explain what a spot treatment would cover
Explain what a full treatment would cover
Talk through your plans for the home: keeping, renting, selling
Sometimes that leads to a local solution with a clear “we will keep an eye on it.” Sometimes that leads to a more involved plan that prevents you from doing this all over again in a few years. For homeowners who are not in active escrow, we provide these inspections at no cost.
FAQ: Spot Treatment vs Full Treatment
Q: Can I start with a spot treatment and “upgrade” later if needed?
Sometimes, yes. As long as you understand that spot work only covers that area and does not act like whole home protection. If the inspection suggests a larger issue, starting small may not save money in the long run.
Q: Does full treatment always mean fumigation?
No. For Subterranean termites, full treatment often means soil and structural work around key areas, not tenting. Fumigation is reserved for certain Drywood cases where activity is widespread and hidden.
Q: How do I know which option I really need?
The decision should come from a thorough inspection, not a guess. Our inspectors walk you through the findings, show you photos, and explain why a local or full approach fits your situation.
Final Thoughts: One Fix, Not The Same Fix Twice
Spot treatments have a place. Full treatments have a place. The trouble starts when one is sold as the answer to everything.
The goal is simple: solve the problem once, in a way that makes sense for your home, your risk level, and your future plans.
If you are weighing a quick local job against a more complete solution, let us walk the property and give you a clear, honest opinion.
Schedule an inspection with Good Sense Termite today. Answers first, treatment second. It is just Good Sense.
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