Silver Bullet Pest ControlFound soft wood at the sill, a joist that crumbles under a screwdriver, or mud tubes behind old basement paneling? Before anyone replaces a board, the termites have to be stopped. Silver Bullet Pest Control finds the colony's way into East Newark homes, treats it, maps the damage, and then our crew repairs the damaged wood.
4.9 stars on Google • NJ License 90568B • 15+ years • Serving Hudson County • Hablamos español
Text a photo of the damaged wood or tubes to 973-510-2585 and we'll tell you if it looks like termites.
You fix termite damage in two stages: first the termites are found and treated, then the damaged wood is repaired or replaced. Silver Bullet Pest Control handles both stages in East Newark — inspection, treatment, a clear map of where the damage is, and then repairing the damaged sill plates, joists, beams and framing ourselves — so the repair isn't wasted on wood the termites will keep eating. NJ License 90568B, 4.9 stars on Google. Call or text 973-510-2585 for a free quote.
It's tempting to start replacing wood the day you find a rotten-looking sill plate. The problem is that the termites that did the damage are usually still there. Eastern subterranean termites — the kind we deal with in North Jersey — live in the soil and travel up into the house through cracks, block walls and wood that touches the ground. New lumber nailed into the same spot is just fresh food.
The order that saves money looks like this:
We do all five steps, so one company handles the termites and the repair, and nothing gets missed or closed up too early.
Three things we look at when someone calls about damaged wood:
Mud tubes are how subterranean termites travel from the soil to the wood without drying out. If a tube is damp and you see insects when it's broken open, the colony is active right now and treatment comes before any repair.
Termites eat wood from the inside and leave the surface thin. The sill plate on top of the foundation, the ends of floor joists, door frames near the floor and basement stair stringers are where we find damage most often.
Carpenter ants hollow out wet or soft wood but don't eat it, and they push out sawdust. Rot from a leak can look like termite damage too. The fix is different for each, so we identify the cause before anyone starts cutting.
East Newark is one of the smallest boroughs in New Jersey, tucked between Harrison and Kearny along the Passaic River. Most of the housing is older — attached and closely spaced homes, two-family houses and small apartment buildings on narrow lots. That mix makes termite damage easy to miss for years:
If you own a two-family home or a small building, tell us when you call. We'll want access to every part of the basement and to any crawl space under an addition or porch.
A licensed technician checks the basement walls, sill plate, joists, posts, stairs and the outside of the foundation, including porches and steps. We probe the wood and look for tubes, wings and soil-packed galleries.
Live termites and damp tubes mean an active area. Dry, empty tubes and old galleries may be from years ago. Knowing the difference tells you what needs treatment and what's just old damage.
We point out damage to sill plates, joists, beams or posts that holds up the house, so you know what the repair has to cover. Serious structural damage can also need an engineer's input.
You get a clear explanation of where we'll treat, why, and what to fix (water, wood touching soil) so the termites don't come back to the new wood.
Photos help. Take pictures of anything you find before it's disturbed and keep them — if you're selling, the buyer may ask for them.
| What you find | What it usually means | What happens next |
|---|---|---|
| Tubes only, wood still hard | Termites are getting in but haven't done much yet | Pest control: treat and monitor |
| Surface damage on trim or a baseboard | Early feeding; often the visible tip of more | Treatment first, then the trim is replaced |
| Screwdriver sinks into the sill plate | Damage along part of the sill | Treatment, then we sister or replace the damaged sections |
| Soft joist ends or posts | Damage to framing that carries weight | Treatment, then we reinforce or replace the framing |
| Sagging floor or bouncy spot | Possible serious framing damage (or another cause) | Inspect for termites and treat if found; structural repair of joists and beams, with an engineer's input if needed |
Not sure which row you're in? Text a photo to 973-510-2585. We'll tell you what it looks like and whether it needs a visit.
Homeowners ask us this a lot, usually after a weekend of spraying. Here's the honest version for subterranean termites in NJ:
What doesn't work well on its own:
What does work:
Every house is different, so we explain the plan for yours after the inspection. For more on our termite work, see termite treatment from our Garfield base.
Schedule the repair for after the treatment. If walls or a ceiling are coming down for the repair anyway, tell us — that open access can help us see and treat hidden areas.
Photos of the tubes, the damage and the repair before it's covered up are useful later for a sale, a refinance or your own records.
Leaky pipes, a gutter dumping at the foundation, or a basement that floods keeps termites coming back. The repair is a good time to fix those too.
New wood should stay off the dirt — posts on concrete footings, a gap between soil and siding, no wood stair stringers buried in the ground.
Termite damage often comes up during a home sale in Hudson County. Many buyers order a wood-destroying insect inspection, and VA loans require one. If damage is found, the buyer will usually want to know the termites have been treated and what was repaired.
More: VA termite inspections in NJ.
The quote is free and given after we inspect:
| Factor | Smaller job | Bigger job |
|---|---|---|
| Activity | One spot at the foundation | Several areas, or tubes along long runs of wall |
| Building | Single-family, simple footprint | Two-family or attached home, additions, porches |
| Concrete | Open soil along the wall | Slabs, stoops and basement floors to drill through |
| Access | Open, unfinished basement | Finished walls, storage, crawl spaces |
| Moisture | Dry foundation | Water problems that need fixing too |
Repair depends on how much wood needs replacing, and we quote it once the damage is mapped. Call or text 973-510-2585 to set up an inspection.
Tell us what you found — soft wood, tubes, wings — and where. Send photos if you have them. We'll explain what it looks like and set up an inspection.
🔒 Your info stays private · Hablamos español.
Yes. We treat the termites first, then our crew repairs the damaged wood ourselves — sill plates, joists, beams and framing. One company handles both.
Before. New wood put in while termites are still active just gives them more to eat, so the treatment comes first.
Active termites leave damp, fresh mud tubes and you may see live insects when one is opened. Dry, crumbling tubes with nothing inside are often old, but only an inspection can tell for sure.
Serious damage to sill plates, joists or posts can weaken framing. If a floor sags or feels soft, call us: we check for termites, treat them, and repair the damaged framing.
Often not, but policies differ. Ask your agent before planning the repair.
They can travel through the soil, so closely spaced and attached homes can share a problem. If your neighbor has had termites, mention it when you call.
Termite galleries are packed with soil and there's no sawdust; carpenter ants leave clean galleries and shavings. Text us a photo and we'll tell you.
Most homes are treated in a single visit, and larger or attached buildings can take longer. We tell you the plan before we start.
Yes. Silver Bullet Pest Control holds NJ License 90568B and has over 15 years of experience. We're based in Garfield and serve East Newark and the rest of Hudson County.
Sí. Hablamos español. Llame o mande un texto al 973-510-2585.
We serve East Newark and nearby Hudson County towns from our base in Garfield.
Real photos from our recent jobs. We show only the street and town, never the customer's exact address.
Squirrel & raccoon exclusion for a home on Highland Ave in Kearny, NJ by Silver Bullet Pest Control.
Damage repair & sealing for a home on Lewis St in Bloomfield, NJ by Silver Bullet Pest Control.
Bee & wasp removal for a home on Fairmount Terrace in East Orange, NJ by Silver Bullet Pest Control.
Squirrel & raccoon exclusion for a home on Morgan Pl in North Arlington, NJ by Silver Bullet Pest Control.
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Updated November 2026 by the Silver Bullet Pest Control team, Garfield, NJ • NJ License 90568B
