Preparing for termite fumigation in San Diego means bagging or removing all food, medicine, and pet consumables, arranging for people, pets, and plants to be out of the home for 2 to 3 days, and coordinating a gas shutoff with your fumigation company. Working through the checklist below in order is usually enough to keep the prep work manageable, though your fumigation company’s own checklist governs the specifics of your job.
If a termite fumigation has been scheduled for your home, the prep work matters as much as the treatment itself. Fumigant gas needs to reach every void inside the structure, and it needs a sealed, empty home to do it safely. Skipping a step doesn’t just risk your own safety, it can also delay the whole appointment if the crew arrives and the home isn’t ready. Here’s the full walkthrough, in the order it actually needs to happen.
The fumigant used for drywood termite tenting is sulfuryl fluoride, with chloropicrin added as a warning agent since sulfuryl fluoride itself has no smell, per the California Department of Pesticide Regulation, which regulates structural fumigation in California. Before the job starts, the fumigation company has to get your signed Occupant Fumigation Notice, also called a pesticide disclosure, required under California’s structural fumigation rules administered by DPR and the Structural Pest Control Board. Where any detail here differs from what your fumigation company tells you, follow their written instructions. This page doesn’t override the licensed fumigator’s own checklist or the product label.
What to bag or remove before the crew arrives
Anything you might eat, drink, or apply to your body needs to either leave the house or go into the Nylofume bags your fumigation company provides. This includes:
- All food, opened or sealed, including anything in the pantry, fridge, and freezer
- Medications and supplements
- Toothpaste, mouthwash, and other consumable personal care items
- Pet food and treats
Sealed cans and factory-sealed containers are sometimes exempt depending on the product, but the safest approach is to bag everything consumable rather than guess. Your fumigation company will walk through exactly what needs bagging when they schedule the job, and most provide the Nylofume bags as part of the service.
People, pets, and plants: who has to leave and for how long
Everyone living in the home, including pets, has to be out for the full fumigation period, typically 2 to 3 days and 2 nights depending on home size and the fumigant dose required. This isn’t a partial-day inconvenience. Re-entry only happens after the structure has been aerated and cleared by the fumigation crew, and going back in early is a real safety risk, not just a rule.
Line up lodging before the appointment date, whether that’s a hotel, a friend’s place, or a short-term rental. If you have pets that can’t stay elsewhere, most boarding facilities in San Diego can accommodate a 2 to 3 day stay with enough notice. All potted plants have to come out, including porch plants that would otherwise sit under the tent. That’s not a suggestion: anything under the tent is exposed to the fumigant.
Gas shutoff and utility coordination
Gas shutoff and pilot lights have to be handled in a specific sequence relative to the tenting. Practice varies between fumigation companies: some handle the shutoff themselves, and some ask the homeowner to call the gas company directly. Follow your fumigation company’s own written instructions on who does what and when. What you’re responsible for either way is making sure pilot lights, if you have any, are accessible and that the crew has clear access to the meter and any interior gas appliances. Don’t relight pilot lights yourself after the fumigation until you’ve confirmed with the fumigation company that it’s been done or that it’s safe to do.
Inside the home: doors, cabinets, and access
Before the crew tents the structure, every interior door needs to be open, including closet doors, and every cabinet and drawer needs to be unlatched or open enough for gas to circulate. Locked interior doors or sealed cabinets create voids the fumigant can’t reach, which defeats the purpose of a whole-structure treatment. Walk through the house room by room the morning of the appointment and open everything, including attic access panels if you have them.
Watering the soil around the foundation
Many fumigation companies ask homeowners to water the soil around the foundation perimeter the day before or the morning of the appointment, though this varies by company, so check your own fumigation company’s checklist for what they want done. Moist soil around the base of the structure helps maintain a proper seal where the tent meets the ground, which keeps the fumigant concentration where it needs to be for the treatment to work. This is a small step but skipping it can affect how evenly the gas distributes.
Keys, locks, and the day-of handoff
The crew needs full access to the home, so provide a working key or garage code, and make sure any additional locks, security bars, or alarm systems are either disabled or the crew has the information to bypass them. If a lockbox is being used, confirm the code works before the appointment day rather than finding out when the crew arrives.
What happens before you’re cleared to go back inside
After the treatment period ends, the crew removes the tent and aerates the structure, which lets the fumigant gas dissipate completely. The licensee tests the structure during aeration and posts a re-entry notice only once the fumigant concentration drops to 1 ppm sulfuryl fluoride or less, the re-entry clearance standard set by the California Department of Pesticide Regulation and the fumigant label. This step isn’t optional or something to rush, and it’s never a homeowner’s call to make. Once cleared, go back through and remove the Nylofume bags, and give the home a normal walkthrough before bringing food, medications, and pets back in. For the full picture on what fumigation actually involves and when it’s the right call, see our guide on termite fumigation in San Diego.
Whole-structure fumigation isn’t the only path for every termite situation. If you’re weighing options before committing to a tent job, our guide on termite treatment without tenting in San Diego covers when localized treatment is enough instead. If you’re weighing the two, reach out here and we’ll get you matched with a licensed pro who can look at your home first.
Frequently asked questions
How much does termite fumigation cost in San Diego?
The cost depends on the size of the home measured in cubic feet, the fumigant dose required, and the extent of the infestation. The fumigation company quotes the job in writing after inspecting the structure, so treat any number you hear before that as a rough estimate.
How long do I have to be out of the house?
Most fumigations require 2 to 3 days and 2 nights out of the home, including pets. The exact duration depends on home size and the fumigant dose the crew determines is needed.
Do I need to shut off the gas myself?
It depends on the company. Practice varies: some fumigation companies handle the gas shutoff themselves, and some ask you to call the gas company directly. Follow your fumigation company’s own instructions, and make sure the crew has clear access to the meter and any gas appliances either way.
What do I do with food that’s already sealed?
When in doubt, bag it. Some factory-sealed products are exempt, but the safest approach is to double-bag everything consumable in the Nylofume bags provided, since guessing wrong risks contamination.
What happens if I go back inside too early?
Re-entry before the crew clears the home is a genuine safety risk, not just a formality. Fumigant gas needs to fully aerate out of the structure, and the crew will confirm when that’s happened before letting anyone back in.
To find out whether your situation needs tenting at all, call (858) 400-6561.