Silver Bullet Pest ControlFound winged insects by a window in spring, mud tubes on the basement wall, or soft wood in a porch? Silver Bullet Pest Control is a Garfield termite company. We inspect, tell you plainly whether you have termites, and treat the house if you do.
4.9 stars on Google • NJ License 90568B • 15+ years • Based in Garfield • Hablamos español
Text a photo of the bugs or the mud tubes to 973-510-2585. Termite or ant? We'll tell you.
Start with a licensed termite inspection, because termites live in the soil and visible damage is only part of it. Silver Bullet Pest Control, based in Garfield (NJ License 90568B), inspects the foundation, basement and wood, confirms whether termites are active, and treats the soil and wood around the house. Call or text 973-510-2585 for a free quote.
Spring swarmers scare a lot of Garfield homeowners. Here's how the usual suspects compare:
This is New Jersey's common termite. Colonies live in the soil and travel up into a house through mud tubes and cracks to eat wood from the inside. You rarely see the workers, which is why a swarm or a pile of wings is often the first sign.
Carpenter ants hollow out damp or rotting wood to nest but don't eat it. They push out sawdust, which termites never do. They still damage a house and need treatment, just a different one.
Subterranean termites only need a crack thinner than a credit card to get from the soil to your wood. Many Garfield basements have exactly these, so the foundation is where an inspection starts.
| What you find | What it may mean | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Winged insects swarming indoors in spring | A mature colony is nearby, often in or under the house | Save a few in a bag or take a photo, and call for an inspection |
| Small piles of identical wings by windows or doors | Swarmers dropped their wings after a flight | Same as above; don't just vacuum and forget it |
| Pencil-width mud tubes on the foundation or sill | Termites are traveling between the soil and the wood | Don't break them all off; they help us see activity |
| Wood that sounds hollow or crumbles | Damage inside the wood, by termites or rot | Have it checked; we'll tell you which |
| Bubbling paint or ripples behind wallpaper | Possible moisture and tunneling behind the surface | Check for leaks and for termites |
| Doors or windows that suddenly stick | Can be humidity, settling or wood damage | Worth a look if other signs are present |
Spraying swarmers with store-bought spray kills the ones you see but does nothing to the colony in the soil.
Garfield is one of the older, denser parts of Bergen County. A lot of the housing is older one- and two-family houses on small lots, often with basements, wooden porches and back stairs, and decks added over the years. That combination is what subterranean termites look for: wood close to soil, moisture, and small cracks in older masonry.
Common trouble spots we check in Garfield homes:
Because we're based in Garfield, coming back to recheck a spot or follow up after treatment is simple. You're not waiting for a crew to drive in from another county.
A licensed technician checks the foundation, basement, crawl space, sills, porches, garage and accessible wood, looking for mud tubes, wings, damage and moisture problems.
We tell you if termites are active, where, and how far it seems to go. If it's carpenter ants, old damage or moisture instead, we'll say so.
If termites are active, we recommend a treatment for your house, such as treating the soil along the foundation and the affected areas, and explain why.
We check that activity has stopped and point out the moisture and wood-to-soil problems to fix so termites have less to come back to.
If termites have already damaged wood, read our page on termite damage repair in Garfield.
Subterranean termites are active underground all year, but you'll usually notice them in spring. On a warm day after rain, often from March through May, a mature colony sends out swarmers to start new colonies. In a house with a heated basement, swarms can happen earlier, even in late winter.
Summer and fall are good times for an inspection, since the soil is warm and workers are feeding close to the surface. A swarm is your sign to call, but you don't need to wait for one, especially if you're buying a house, finishing a basement or replacing a porch.
Termite jobs are quoted after an inspection. These are the main factors:
| Factor | Why it changes the job |
|---|---|
| Size of the foundation | Treatment follows the perimeter of the house, so a larger footprint takes more work and material. |
| Construction type | Basements, crawl spaces, slabs, attached porches and garages are each treated differently. |
| Where activity is | One spot by a porch post is different from tubes along several walls. |
| Access | Finished basements, paneling and stored items can make the foundation harder to reach. |
| Concrete and patios | Treating under slabs, patios or walkways can require drilling. |
| Moisture problems | Leaks, gutters and grading that keep soil wet may need fixing for the treatment to hold. |
The inspection and quote are free. Call or text 973-510-2585 to set one up.
Termite inspections come up all the time in home sales. Buyers want to know what they're getting, and lenders often ask for a wood-destroying insect inspection before closing.
Requirements vary from deal to deal, so tell us what the inspection is for when you book it.
Tell us what you found and where. We'll set up an inspection and give you a straight answer.
🔒 Your info stays private · Hablamos español.
Yes. Eastern subterranean termites are found throughout North Jersey, and Garfield's older homes with basements, porches and wood near the soil give them plenty to work with.
They may be. Termite swarmers have straight antennae, a thick waist and equal-length wings; flying ants have pinched waists and elbowed antennae. Text a photo to 973-510-2585 and we'll identify it.
It depends on the size of the foundation, the construction and where the termites are. The inspection and quote are free.
Usually not. Treatment focuses on the soil and foundation and specific wood, and the technician will tell you any precautions for kids and pets.
Store products can kill the termites you see, but the colony lives in the soil. A professional treatment around the foundation is what protects the house.
Slowly in most cases, but they work unseen, sometimes for years. That's why acting on the first swarm or mud tube matters more than panicking.
Leave them until the inspection if you can. They show us where termites are traveling and whether they're active.
Yes. Tell us the inspection is for a purchase or sale when you book, and check with your attorney or lender on what report they need.
Yes. We hold NJ License 90568B, have over 15 years of experience and are based in Garfield.
Yes, hablamos español. Call or text 973-510-2585.
We inspect and treat homes in Garfield and the towns around it.
Updated November 2026 by the Silver Bullet Pest Control team, Garfield, NJ • NJ License 90568B
