Before chlordane was taken off the market as a termiticide in 1988, it was the most widely used product for termite control because of its long-term effectiveness. In fact, a house could be protected for 20 years or more using chlordane. The termiticides used today for termite control are much less persistent in the environment than chlordane was. With products that are registered today, you should not expect a termite treatment to protect your home for more than five years. With some of the insecticides, there may be an odor after the treatment that may be offensive to some individuals.
Some products are more odor free than others.
If you are concerned about odor, mention this to the pest control technician well before the scheduled treatment day. Chemically sensitive people may want to stay away from the home for a period of time after treatment. Once the water carrier disperses in the soil, the effective insecticide stays attached to soil particles and will not move unless the soil does. If the soil later becomes saturated, the termiticide will not leak into the basement or leach into the groundwater. The greatest hazard is when the diluted material is being applied.