Termite tenting (whole-house fumigation) is a normal part of owning a home in South Florida. After the tent comes down and you get the all-clear to go back inside, some homeowners still notice a smell. Here’s what it usually is and what to do about it.
First: Call Your Fumigation Company
If you notice a sharp, stinging smell that makes your eyes water or your nose burn, leave the house and call the fumigation company that did the job. They are responsible for clearing the home and can come back to recheck it. Follow their instructions and the paperwork they gave you before staying inside.
Why a House Can Smell After Tenting
- The house was sealed up in the heat. Two or three days with the AC off, windows covered and a tent on top leaves a Florida home stale and humid. That alone can bring out musty smells from carpet, closets and the AC system.
- Food and trash left behind. Anything left in the trash, sink or an unplugged fridge spoils fast.
- Dead pests. Tenting kills termites and often roaches and rodents too. A dead rodent in a wall or the attic can smell for days. See dead animal smell in the walls.
- The warning agent. Fumigators add a strong-smelling warning agent so people know to stay out. If that sharp smell is still there, that’s a call for the fumigation company, not an odor treatment.
How to Clear the Smell
- Get the AC running as soon as you’re cleared to go back in, to pull the humidity down. Change the AC filter.
- Empty and clean the fridge, trash cans and anything that was left out.
- Wash bedding, towels and curtains, and wipe down counters and surfaces you use for food, as your fumigator recommends.
- Follow your nose. A smell that is strongest in one wall, closet or the attic usually means a dead pest. Pest control can find and remove it.
- Give it a few days with the AC running. Stale, closed-up smells usually fade.
If the smell is musty and it doesn’t fade once the AC has been running, there may be moisture somewhere. See musty smell in your house. We offer a free visual inspection with moisture readings and an infrared (thermal) camera. Lab testing is separate if it’s needed. Florida licenses: Mold Assessor MRSA4035, Mold Remediator MRSR4158.
When a Stale Smell Won’t Leave
Once the fumigation company has cleared the home and any dead pests are removed, a stale smell can still hang in the air and the AC. Our whole-home odor removal treatment treats the air throughout the entire home, including one AC system and an attached garage. You’ll be out for about 8 hours, pets included. It’s an odor treatment only and doesn’t replace anything your fumigation company needs to do. For other smells, see our smell-by-smell guide.
Whole-Home Odor Removal in South Florida: $997
Our Whole-Home Odor Removal Treatment is $997 and includes one AC system ($550 for each additional AC unit). You can buy and schedule it online, or call 877-224-2532 to request a free visual inspection. We answer 24/7; when you call, we’ll tell you honestly when a technician can be there based on that day’s schedule. Hablamos español.
About the author: James Rice-Peña is the owner of FL Cleanup and a Florida-licensed Mold Assessor (MRSA4035) and Mold Remediator (MRSR4158). He has worked in property restoration in South Florida since 2012, and FL Cleanup has earned 200+ five-star Google reviews. About FL Cleanup.
