Termite tenting (structural fumigation) usually costs about $1 to $4 per square foot, or roughly $2,000 to $8,000 for an average home, according to 2026 HomeGuide data. The house is sealed under tarps and filled with sulfuryl fluoride gas, which reaches every piece of wood and kills all drywood termites inside. You’ll be out of the house for about two to three days. Tenting leaves no residue, so it doesn’t protect against new termites. It’s mainly used for widespread drywood termite infestations.
Table of Contents
Termite Tenting Cost
| Home size | Typical tenting cost |
|---|---|
| 1,000 sq ft | $1,000 to $4,000 |
| 1,500 sq ft | $1,500 to $6,000 |
| 2,000 sq ft | $2,000 to $8,000 |
| 3,000 sq ft | $3,000 to $12,000 |
Based on $1 to $4 per square foot (HomeGuide, 2026). Angi lists many tenting jobs at $1,200 to $2,500 and up. Get written quotes.
- What raises the price: larger or taller homes, complex rooflines, tile roofs that need extra sealing, attached structures, and travel distance.
- Extra costs: two or three nights in a hotel, boarding pets, and sometimes roof or gutter repairs from the tarps.
- Warranty: ask whether retreatment is included if termites return, and for how long.
How Termite Tenting Works
- Inspection and quote: the company confirms drywood termites and measures the house.
- Tenting: the crew covers the home in sealed tarps.
- Warning agent: a small amount of chloropicrin (tear gas) is released first to drive out anyone who enters.
- Fumigation: sulfuryl fluoride gas is released and held for about 24 hours, depending on temperature and dosage.
- Aeration: tarps come off and the house is ventilated.
- Clearance: technicians test the air with a meter and only allow re-entry once the gas has dropped to the safe level on the product label.
Termite Tenting Prep Checklist
- Book a place to stay for two to three nights for people and pets, including fish, birds and reptiles.
- Remove or bag food and medicine. Anything not in its original factory-sealed container goes out of the house or into special Nylofume bags supplied by the company. This includes pet food, vitamins, tobacco and items in the fridge and freezer.
- Remove plants from inside the house.
- Remove mattresses and pillows sealed in waterproof plastic covers, or remove the covers, because gas can’t get through them.
- Open all interior doors, cabinets, drawers and closets so gas reaches everywhere.
- Arrange gas shut-off with your gas company, and turn off pilot lights.
- Trim plants and shrubs back 12 to 18 inches from the walls and water the soil around the house the day before, which helps protect plants near the tarp.
- Unlock every door and give the company keys, including garage, attic and gate access.
- Remove antennas, satellite dishes or rooftop items if the company asks.
- Tell neighbors about the dates if the tarp will be close to their property.
After Tenting
- Sulfuryl fluoride is a gas and leaves no residue, so cleaning surfaces isn’t required for safety. Many people still wipe counters and wash dishes.
- Open windows for a few hours when you return.
- Dead termites stay inside the wood; frass may keep falling for weeks as it settles.
- A few swarmers may still appear from other colonies. Keep your warranty paperwork and call the company if you see new activity.
- Seal kick-out holes and repair damaged wood.
Is Termite Tenting Safe?
Tenting is safe when done by a licensed fumigator and the home is cleared with a gas meter before re-entry. The gas is highly toxic while it’s inside the tent, which is why no people or animals can stay and why the warning agent and locked tents are used. Never re-enter until the company clears the home.
Alternatives to Tenting
| Option | Good for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Spot treatment (foam, liquid, borate injected into wood) | Small, known infestations | Misses colonies you haven’t found |
| Heat treatment | Moderate infestations; no chemicals | Heat may not reach deep timbers |
| Orange oil | Very small, reachable spots | Contact only |
| Wood replacement | Badly damaged, accessible wood | Doesn’t treat hidden colonies |
Subterranean termites are treated with soil barriers or baits instead of tenting. Compare all methods in termite treatment cost, and see drywood termites and termite droppings.
FAQs
Termite tenting usually costs about $1 to $4 per square foot, or roughly $2,000 to $8,000 for an average home.
Most tenting jobs require you to stay out for about two to three days, until the company tests the air and clears the home.
Tenting kills the drywood termites inside the home’s wood when done correctly. It doesn’t prevent new termites from arriving later, and it isn’t used for subterranean termites.
No. Sulfuryl fluoride leaves no residue, so washing isn’t needed for safety, though many people wipe surfaces and wash dishes anyway.
Remove people, pets and plants, and remove or double-bag in Nylofume bags any food, medicine and pet food that isn’t factory-sealed. Remove mattresses in waterproof covers or take the covers off.
Sources
- HomeGuide: Termite treatment cost (2026)
- Angi: Termite treatment cost (2026)
- UF/IFAS Extension: Drywood and dampwood termites
Facts in this guide are checked against the sources above and reviewed when they change. See how we research in our editorial policy.