Derwood Termite Control
Family-owned & local since 1968
Termite protection for Derwood split-levels, ramblers, and new townhomes near the park woods. Free homeowner inspections, no binding contracts.
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Trusted Termite Control in Derwood, MD — in Our Customers' Words
Hear what Northern Virginia and Maryland homeowners have to say about our service — in their own words. Real customers from real homes, sharing why they trust Better Termite with what matters most.
- Homes protected
- 100k+
- Google reviews
- 4.9★
- Years local
- 58+
Why Better Termite
Termite Control in Derwood you can trust — from $35/mo with no binding contracts.
Lower-Impact Products
Hand-picked, EPA-approved treatments selected by our research team — without 9 of the harshest products still used by most companies.
Local Termite Control Experts
Family-owned since 1968, with 300+ years of combined experience protecting Derwood homes. A licensed local tech answers the phone.
The Better Promise
Unlimited free re-services and no binding contracts — we keep coming back until your problem is gone. Cancel anytime with 30 days notice.
About Better Termite
Termite Control for Derwood Homes Next to the Woods
Sixty Years of Houses, One Kind of Termite
Derwood is not one era of house. Mill Creek Towne went up in the mid-1960s as brick ramblers and split-levels. The bulk of 20855 came in the 1970s and 1980s, and the median home here was built around 1981. Then Shady Grove Metro opened in 1984, and the townhomes kept coming. The newest ones, at Shady Grove Westside on the old county service park, are only a few years old. Every one of those homes sits on the same soil, and the Eastern subterranean termite lives in it.
What sets Derwood apart is how much wood is in the ground nearby. Rock Creek Regional Park, the Crabbs Branch stream valley, and the tree lines between subdivisions are full of downed logs and old stumps. That is termite food. A colony that grows up on it does not stop at the property line.
Better Termite & Pest Control has protected Maryland homes from termites since 1968. We are family-owned, now in our third generation, and our small team adds up to 300+ years of experience. Our research team cut 9 of the harshest products common in this industry, and for termites we rely on Sentricon baiting and borate. Call and a licensed technician answers. We have serviced more than 100,000 DC-area homes and earned 1800+ reviews.
Local Termite Risk
What Puts Derwood Homes at Risk for Termites
Rock Creek Parkland on the East Side
Derwood’s whole eastern edge is parkland: roughly 1,800 wooded acres of Rock Creek Regional Park. Lake Needwood, about 75 acres, was formed in 1965 when Rock Creek was dammed. Lake Frank adds about 55 more. Around both lakes are wooded slopes with decades of fallen trees, many of them rotting into the damp soil. For subterranean termites, a down oak by a creek is a perfect home. If you live in Needwood Estates, Park Overlook, or the Preserve at Rock Creek, that woodland may start at your back fence.
Crabbs Branch Stream Valley Park, 138 acres of mostly undeveloped creek corridor, carries that same wet, wooded strip past Redland Crossing, Redland Station, and Candlewood Park. If your yard ends at a creek buffer, there is a good chance a colony is closer than you think. Our guide to the signs of termites in your yard shows what to look for out back.
Old Wood on Bigger Lots
The Agricultural History Farm Park, a 455-acre working farmstead above Muncaster Mill Road, sets old barns and fence lines right beside the subdivisions. The lots around it, in places like Bowie Mill Estates and the two Muncaster neighborhoods, run larger, with split-rail fences, landscape timbers, sheds, and woodpiles. All of that is wood resting on soil. A stack of firewood against the back of the garage is one of the most common ways we see termites move from the yard to the house. Here is why firewood draws termites and where to keep it.
Disturbed Ground Along the ICC and MD 355
Building the Intercounty Connector (MD 200) from 2009 to 2011 meant years of earth-moving across the middle of Derwood. The redevelopment around Shady Grove Metro has moved even more earth since. Grading, buried construction debris, and new stormwater areas change how water moves through the soil. Termites follow the moisture. For a statewide look at how these insects behave here, see our page on termites in Maryland.
Older Derwood Homes
Split-Levels and Ramblers: Where Termites Get In
A lot of Derwood’s older homes are split-levels. The lower level sits half below grade, so the soil outside is packed against a block wall with a brick face. Wood framing starts just a few feet above the dirt. Many of these houses also have a garage tucked into the lower level, where the slab meets the block foundation. Those joints, cracks, and cold seams are where Eastern subterranean termites come up from the soil.
Age makes it worse. A home built in the 1960s or 1970s may have been treated when it was new, but that treatment is long gone. Chlordane, the long-lasting soil chemical builders used back then, was banned in 1988. Since then most of these homes have had new patios, new decks, new mulch beds, and maybe an addition. Each one disturbed the soil next to the foundation.
What to Check in an Older Derwood Home
- Block walls behind the furnace and water heater on the lower level
- The seam where the tuck-under garage slab meets the foundation
- Wood paneling and baseboards in finished lower-level rec rooms
- Deck ledger boards and posts on the back of the house
- Window wells and the bottom of basement doors
- Additions and sunrooms built on their own slab
The most common sign is a pencil-width tube of dried mud running up a wall. Learn how to spot one in our guide to termite mud tubes.
Treatment Options
How We Treat Termites in Derwood
Sentricon Bait Stations
Most Derwood homes start with the Sentricon system. We set stations in the soil around the house, flush with the lawn or mulch. Worker termites that find the bait carry it back and share it. The active ingredient, noviflumuron, stops termites from molting, so the whole colony dies off over time, including the queen. There is no trench along your flower beds and no drilling through your floors. Sentricon starts at $35/month plus a $200 setup fee on the first visit, and a full termite inspection every year is included.
Liquid Soil Treatment for Active Termites
When termites are already eating wood in the house, a liquid treatment knocks them back faster. We trench along the foundation and treat the soil. Under a garage slab, a front stoop, or a patio, we drill small holes and treat the soil beneath. The price depends on your foundation and how the house is built, so we quote it after the inspection.
Borate for Bare Wood
Redoing the lower level, replacing a deck, or opening a wall? Bare framing can be treated with borate before it is closed back up. Every plan comes with unlimited free callbacks and no binding contract. Cancel anytime with 30 days notice.
Newer Homes
New Townhomes Near Shady Grove Metro Need Protection Too
The townhome rows around Shady Grove Metro are some of the newest homes in Derwood. Shady Grove Westside alone was approved for more than 1,500 homes on the old county service park off Crabbs Branch Way. New construction feels like it should be termite-proof. It is not.
Builders treat the soil or install bait during construction, and that buys you some time. But the builder’s termite coverage does not run for the life of the house, and once it lapses, no one is watching. Townhomes also share soil. A colony under the end unit of a row can forage under the units next to it. Read how termites spread through a neighborhood for the details.
Signs Are Harder to See in New Homes
Newer homes often have finished lower levels, foam insulation on the foundation, and stone or siding that runs close to the soil. Termites can travel behind all of it. Many owners first learn they have a problem when wings show up on a windowsill in the spring. If you are not sure what you found, compare flying ants vs. termites, then call us for a free look.
Spring swarmers like these leave colonies in old logs and stumps along Derwood’s park edges
Eastern subterranean termites cause nearly all of the termite damage we see in 20855
A family business, now in its third generation of Schulz family ownership
One mature colony can hold thousands of workers and release hundreds of swarmers each spring
Free termite inspections for Derwood homeowners
Family-owned and treating termites in Maryland since 1968
Buying or Selling
Selling a Derwood Home? About the MD-1 Termite Report
In Maryland, a termite inspection done for a home sale or a loan goes on Form MD-1, the state’s Wood Destroying Insect Inspection Report. If your buyer is coming from out of state, they may ask for an NPMA-33. That is the national form, and it is not the one used for Maryland real estate. A VA loan requires the report, and many lenders and contracts ask for one as well.
The MD-1 notes any termites or damage found, any signs of past treatment, and the parts of the house the inspector could not get to. In a Derwood split-level, that last list can include a finished rec room or a garage packed with boxes. Clear a path to the furnace room, the laundry area, and the garage walls before the inspection. Our Maryland termite inspection guide covers the form in more detail.
Just want to know if you have termites? That inspection is free for Derwood homeowners. The MD-1 for a closing is a separate report. Call (703) 683-2000 for current pricing and scheduling.
Everything We Do
Every service we offer in Derwood — one local team, one phone call.
Core Programs
- Home Pest Control in Derwood
- Termite Control in Derwood
- Rodent Control in Derwood
- Mosquito & Tick Control in Derwood
- Extermination Services in Derwood
- Eco-Friendly Pest Control in Derwood
- Sentricon® Termite Baiting in Derwood
- IN2CARE® Mosquito System in Derwood
- Commercial Pest Control in Derwood
- Pre-Construction Termite Control in Derwood
Insects & Spiders
- Ant Control in Derwood
- Carpenter Ant Control in Derwood
- Sugar Ant Control in Derwood
- Spider Control in Derwood
- Roach Control in Derwood
- German Cockroach Control in Derwood
- Oriental Cockroach Control in Derwood
- American Cockroach Control in Derwood
- Flea Control in Derwood
- Silverfish Control in Derwood
- Carpet Beetle Control in Derwood
- Pantry Pest Control in Derwood
- Stink Bug Control in Derwood
- Lady Bug Control in Derwood
- Boxelder Bug Control in Derwood
- Cricket Control in Derwood
- Tick Control in Derwood
- Earwig Control in Derwood
- Millipede Control in Derwood
- Centipede Control in Derwood
- Pill Bug Control in Derwood
- Springtail Control in Derwood
- Clover Mite Control in Derwood
Stinging & Flying
Rodents & Wildlife
Reviews From Our Montgomery County Customers
1800+ Reviews on Google "We had a bad cockroach problem - we knew it was bad because of all the baby cockroaches we spotted. It took a while but Better Termite ultimately solved it and our house is cockroach free. Cindy in particular, was quick to help out and made it pain free."
"I've had nothing but great experiences for 3 years now. Their consistent, reliable service really stands out for me, and everyone is always kind and easy to talk to. I also like that they're a local, family-run business. Kamaal, who I'm gonna call my customer consultant, is fantastic—he really listens to my concerns."
"I highly recommend this company for your home pest control. Their technicians are thorough and have prevented any unwanted problems from happening on our property. During our last treatment, Jasmine took care of our outdoor spider webs without us even asking. Last summer they removed a mud dauber's nest under our deck and above our patio door. That attention to detail speaks volumes. Thank you for taking care of us!"
"The team at Better Termite & Pest control are phenomenal! I feel like my family and my home are in good hands. Everyone I have come into contact with has been responsive, pleasant and professional. The price is right and the service is superb!"
"Joann is amazing! She always takes time to talk with me and check inside boxes. I so appreciate her!! I have been using Better Termite and Pest Management for over 20 years."
"We had a bad cockroach problem - we knew it was bad because of all the baby cockroaches we spotted. It took a while but Better Termite ultimately solved it and our house is cockroach free. Cindy in particular, was quick to help out and made it pain free."
"I've had nothing but great experiences for 3 years now. Their consistent, reliable service really stands out for me, and everyone is always kind and easy to talk to. I also like that they're a local, family-run business. Kamaal, who I'm gonna call my customer consultant, is fantastic—he really listens to my concerns."
"I highly recommend this company for your home pest control. Their technicians are thorough and have prevented any unwanted problems from happening on our property. During our last treatment, Jasmine took care of our outdoor spider webs without us even asking. Last summer they removed a mud dauber's nest under our deck and above our patio door. That attention to detail speaks volumes. Thank you for taking care of us!"
"The team at Better Termite & Pest control are phenomenal! I feel like my family and my home are in good hands. Everyone I have come into contact with has been responsive, pleasant and professional. The price is right and the service is superb!"
"Joann is amazing! She always takes time to talk with me and check inside boxes. I so appreciate her!! I have been using Better Termite and Pest Management for over 20 years."
How It Works
How Derwood Termite Control Works
Talk to a Licensed Technician
Call (703) 683-2000. Tell us what turned up (wings by the slider, a mud tube on the block wall, a soft spot in the deck) and what kind of Derwood home you have: a split-level, a rambler, a colonial, or a newer townhome.
Free 78-Point Inspection
We go around the foundation, probe the soil and any wood touching it, then work the lower level: the block walls behind the furnace, the laundry area, the garage slab edge, and any crawlspace. You get a written report in plain English.
Treatment Sized to the Problem
No activity? Sentricon stations for monitoring and colony elimination. Live termites in the house? A liquid soil treatment along the foundation. Bare framing exposed during a remodel? Borate. Only products our research team has signed off on.
Yearly Station Check and Re-Inspection
Every year your technician services the stations and inspects the house again. That is how we catch a new colony working in from the park woods or a neighbor’s stump before it reaches your sill plate.
Free Callbacks, Cancel Anytime
Spot wings or a fresh mud tube between visits? Call and we come back at no extra charge. There is no binding contract. Cancel anytime with 30 days notice.
Your Local Office
Termite Control Across Derwood, MD 20855
From Mill Creek Towne and Needwood Estates to Muncaster Manor, Redland Crossing, Derwood Station, and the new townhomes by Shady Grove Metro.
Get in Touch
Call Us
703-683-2000Email Us
info@bettertermite.comVisit Our Alexandria (Headquarters) Office
2647 Duke StreetAlexandria, VA 22314
Office Hours
- Mon, Tue, Thu7:30 AM – 7 PM
- Wed, Fri7:30 AM – 8 PM
- Sat, Sun9 AM – 6 PM
Good to Know
Frequently Asked Questions
Still have questions? A licensed local tech picks up at (703) 683-2000.
Our Free Callback Promise
See pests between scheduled visits? We come back and retreat at no extra cost — as many times as it takes. No binding contracts, cancel anytime with 30 days notice.