Silver Bullet Pest ControlTermite Exterminator & Termite Inspection in Elmwood Park, NJ
A swarm of winged bugs in the basement this spring, mud tubes up the block wall, or a home inspection coming up? Silver Bullet Pest Control inspects Elmwood Park homes for termites, shows you what we find, and treats the colony's way in before it turns into a repair bill.
4.9 stars on Google • NJ License 90568B • 15+ years • Next door in Garfield • Hablamos español
Found swarmers or wings? Text a photo to 973-510-2585 — we'll tell you if they're termites or flying ants.
- ✓ Same-day appointments often available
- ✓ Licensed & insured in NJ
- ✓ Homes & businesses
- ✓ English & Español
Who does termite inspections and treatment in Elmwood Park, NJ?
Silver Bullet Pest Control inspects and treats termites in Elmwood Park from our base next door in Garfield. A licensed technician checks the foundation, basement, sills and wood inside and out, shows you what we find, and recommends a treatment — most often a soil treatment along the foundation plus the active areas. NJ License 90568B, 4.9 stars on Google. Call or text 973-510-2585.
Why Elmwood Park homes see termites
The termites in North Jersey are eastern subterranean termites. They live in the soil and need moisture, and they come up into a house through the foundation looking for wood. Elmwood Park's location on the Passaic River, with damp ground and some low-lying blocks that hold water after storms, gives them a lot of what they like.
Much of the housing is older single-family homes with full basements — often block or poured walls, wood sill plates, and finished rooms added over the years. Termites travel up block cores and along cracks, and paneling or drywall in a finished basement can hide their mud tubes for years.
- Damp basements and sump areas keep the soil around the foundation moist.
- Porches, decks and additions often have wood close to or touching the soil.
- Finished basements hide the walls termites travel on.
- Gutters and downspouts that dump water at the foundation make it worse.
Termite swarmers or flying ants?
| Look at | Termite swarmer | Flying ant |
|---|---|---|
| Body | Straight, thick waist | Pinched, wasp-like waist |
| Antennae | Straight | Bent at an elbow |
| Wings | Four of equal length; drop off easily | Front pair longer than back pair |
| What you find | Piles of wings by a basement window or door | Ants on counters and near food |
Swarms usually happen on a warm spring day after rain. Swarmers indoors almost always mean the colony is close by.
A 10-minute basement check you can do
Take a flashlight and a screwdriver down to the basement:
- Walk the foundation walls and look for pencil-width dirt tubes running up the block or concrete.
- Check where the wood meets the wall — the sill plate on top of the foundation. Press the screwdriver into it; it should be hard.
- Look at posts, stairs and anything wooden that touches the floor.
- Check window sills and the floor below windows for small piles of wings.
- Outside, look where steps, porches and decks meet the house.
Found something? Don't break the tubes open or spray them — text us a photo first so we can see the activity as it is.
What our termite inspection covers
Outside
Foundation, sill line, porches, decks, wood touching soil, mulch beds, gutters and downspouts.
Basement & crawl spaces
Walls, sill plates, joists, posts, and where pipes and wires come through the slab.
Inside
Door and window frames, baseboards and trim along the outside walls.
Report
We show you what we found — live termites, old damage, mud tubes or conditions that invite them — and explain your options.
Already have damage? After treatment our crew repairs damaged sill plates, joists and framing. See termite damage repair.
How we treat termites
After the inspection we recommend what fits your house — most often a treatment in the soil along the foundation, so termites coming up from the ground pass through the treated zone, plus treating the active areas inside.
- We explain where we treat, what we use and how long it takes before we start.
- We point out moisture problems — gutters, downspouts, leaks, wood touching soil — that make termites more likely to come back.
- If it isn't termites (carpenter ants or wood rot), we tell you, and what to do instead.
Keeping termites away from an Elmwood Park house
Move the water
Clean gutters and point downspouts at least a few feet from the foundation. Fix leaks in the basement and under sinks, and run a dehumidifier if the basement stays damp.
Break wood-to-soil contact
Keep firewood, lumber and old fence posts off the ground and away from the house. Deck posts and porch steps should sit on concrete, not dirt.
Pull back the mulch
Keep mulch and plantings a few inches below the siding and away from the foundation so you can see the wall.
Look once a year
A quick look along the basement walls every spring, before swarm season, catches tubes early. A professional inspection every year or two is cheap insurance for an older house.
Buying or selling in Elmwood Park
Many home sales in New Jersey include a wood-destroying insect inspection, and VA loans require one. If you're under contract, call early — closings don't wait.
- Tell us the closing date, lender and who should get the report.
- If termites are found, we explain the treatment and the paperwork you'll need.
More: VA termite inspections in NJ.
What affects the price of termite treatment
The quote is free and given after the inspection:
| Factor | Smaller job | Bigger job |
|---|---|---|
| Activity | One small area | Several areas or long runs of tubes |
| House | Small footprint | Larger home, additions, porches |
| Access | Open basement | Finished basement, slab or crawl space |
| Moisture | Dry foundation | Water problems to fix too |
| Damage | None | Wood that needs repair after treatment |
Call or text 973-510-2585 to set up an inspection.
Get a Free Termite Quote in Elmwood Park
Tell us what you found — swarmers, wings, mud tubes, soft wood — or your closing date if you're buying or selling.
Why Elmwood Park calls us for termites
- Winged insects in the basement in spring
- Mud tubes on the foundation
- Soft wood at the sill or a porch
- An inspection for a sale or VA loan
- Want an honest answer — termites or not
Request Service
🔒 Your info stays private · Hablamos español.
Termite Questions from Elmwood Park
Does living near the Passaic River mean I'll get termites?
Not necessarily, but damp soil around the foundation makes it more likely. Keeping water away from the house and having a regular inspection is the best protection.
How do I tell termites from flying ants?
Termites have a thick waist, straight antennae and four wings of equal length. Flying ants have a pinched waist, bent antennae and longer front wings. Text us a photo.
When do termites swarm in New Jersey?
Mostly in spring, often on a warm day after rain.
Should I break open the mud tubes?
No. Leave them and send us a photo — we need to see the activity as it is.
Do I need an inspection if I don't see anything?
Termites work inside the wood, so damage can be hidden. Older homes and finished basements benefit from regular inspections.
Do you do inspections for home sales?
Yes. Tell us the closing date, lender and who needs the report, and call as early as you can.
How long does treatment take?
Most homes are treated in one visit; larger homes or homes with finished basements can take longer. We tell you before we start.
Is the treatment safe for my family and pets?
We explain where and how we treat and any precautions before we start.
Do you repair termite damage too?
Yes. We treat the termites first, then our crew repairs the damaged wood — sill plates, joists, beams and framing — so one company handles both.
Are you licensed?
Yes. Silver Bullet Pest Control holds NJ License 90568B and has over 15 years of experience, based next door in Garfield.
¿Hablan español?
Sí. Hablamos español. Llame o mande texto al 973-510-2585.
Termite control near Elmwood Park
From our base in Garfield we cover Elmwood Park and the towns around it.
Updated November 2026 by the Silver Bullet Pest Control team, Garfield, NJ • NJ License 90568B