Expert San Diego Termite Control

Orange oil is a treatment derived from citrus rind, with D-limonene as its active ingredient. Hydrex injects it directly into drywood termite galleries, where it destroys termites on contact. Because it is a localized, spot treatment, you do not have to tent your house or move out during the process — one of the biggest advantages over whole-house fumigation. It works best when a drywood infestation is contained to accessible areas our inspector can reach and confirm. After a full inspection, we recommend orange oil when it genuinely fits the situation, and a broader method when it does not. It is one of the most eco-conscious options in our termite toolkit for San Diego homeowners.

In most cases, no. Hydrex offers several localized termite treatments — orange oil, Electro-Gun, and precision borates — that target termites in specific areas of the wood, so you and your family can stay in the home while we work. The one exception is whole-house fumigation, which we reserve for widespread infestations that localized methods cannot fully reach. Fumigation requires temporarily vacating the property while the structure is tented and aerated. During your free inspection we identify the extent of the infestation and recommend the least disruptive method that will actually solve the problem — we will not tent your home if a localized treatment will do the job.

There is no one-size-fits-all termite treatment. Every Hydrex job starts with a thorough inspection, where our veteran team identifies the termite species, locates the colonies, and measures the extent of the damage. From there we recommend the treatment path that best matches your home and budget — orange oil or Electro-Gun for contained drywood colonies, precision borates for long-term protection, soil barriers for subterranean termites entering from the ground, or whole-house fumigation only when an infestation is too widespread for localized methods. Because we carry one of the widest ranges of termite technologies in San Diego, our recommendation is driven by what your home actually needs, not by the one product we happen to sell.

San Diego homes face two main termite types, and they call for different treatments. Drywood termites live entirely inside the wood they eat — in attics, eaves, framing, and furniture — and need no contact with soil. Hydrex treats them with localized methods like orange oil, Electro-Gun, and borates, or fumigation for heavy infestations. Subterranean termites nest in the soil and travel up through mud tubes to reach your home's wood, which makes them especially damaging to foundations and lower framing. For these, we install soil barriers — termiticides applied around the foundation to block their path. Correctly identifying the species is the first thing our inspector does, because treating for the wrong type wastes money and leaves the real colony intact.

Termite treatment is priced per home, because the right approach depends on the species, the size of the infestation, and which method your home needs. A small, contained drywood colony treated with orange oil costs far less than whole-house fumigation for a widespread infestation, so Hydrex does not quote a flat rate sight-unseen. Instead, we start with a free inspection: we confirm what you are dealing with, explain the treatment options, and give you a custom written quote before any work begins. There is no obligation, and we will never recommend a more expensive method than your situation calls for. Call 1-800-735-7378 to schedule your free termite inspection in San Diego County.