Sentricon vs. Liquid Termite Treatment — What Crestview Homeowners Need to Know
When it comes to termite protection in Crestview, FL, you have two main options: liquid soil treatments and Sentricon bait systems. They are not equal. One creates a temporary chemical barrier. The other eliminates the entire termite colony. Here's what every homeowner needs to understand before choosing.
How Liquid Termite Treatments Work
Liquid termiticides are applied by injecting or trenching chemicals into the soil around your home's foundation. When termites contact the treated zone, they're killed before reaching the structure. It's the older, more common approach — and it has real limitations.
- Requires drilling into concrete slabs and foundations
- Chemical barrier degrades over time — usually 5–8 years
- Does not eliminate the colony — only blocks access points
- Chemicals remain in the soil around your home
- Requires re-treatment as the barrier breaks down
How Sentricon Works
Sentricon is a bait station system installed around the perimeter of your home. Worker termites — the ones actively foraging — find the bait, eat it, and share it throughout the colony. The active ingredient (noviflumuron) disrupts molting, which eventually eliminates the entire colony including the queen.
- No drilling, no soil injection, no disruption to your landscaping
- Eliminates the colony at the source — not just the scouts
- Continuously monitored — stations alert technicians to termite activity
- EPA-endorsed for use in the most sensitive environments in the country
- Backed by Dow Chemical with a damage warranty
Why Sentricon Is the Standard for NW Florida Homes
Northwest Florida's warm, humid climate and sandy soil create ideal conditions for subterranean termites — particularly Reticulitermes flavipes and the far more destructive Coptotermes formosanus (Formosan termites). Liquid barriers can slow them down. Sentricon stops the colony.
Cadenhead Services is a Certified Sentricon Specialist — meaning our technicians are trained specifically in the Sentricon system, not just licensed to apply it. That distinction matters when the goal is protecting your biggest investment.
Questions to Ask Any Termite Company Before You Hire
- ✅ Do you offer Sentricon, or only liquid treatment?
- ✅ Are you a Certified Sentricon Specialist?
- ✅ Does the treatment include a damage warranty?
- ✅ Will I receive ongoing monitoring, or a one-time application?
- ✅ What happens if termites return after treatment?
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Sentricon more expensive than liquid treatment?
Initial installation is comparable. Sentricon includes ongoing monitoring as part of the program, which provides continuous protection — liquid treatments need to be reapplied every 5–8 years at significant cost.
Can Sentricon be used on existing infestations?
Yes. Sentricon is effective for both active infestations and prevention. Worker termites find the bait stations and begin colony elimination within weeks.
How long does Sentricon take to work?
Colony elimination typically occurs within 3–6 months. Stations remain active and monitored continuously after that for ongoing protection.
Does liquid treatment work at all?
It can be effective short-term, but the chemical barrier degrades and must be reapplied. It also does nothing to the colony itself — it only blocks entry points that are currently accessible.
Protect your Crestview home the right way. Call Cadenhead Services at (850) 682-4333 to schedule a termite inspection.
