- (301) 829-0060
- Mt. Airy, MD
- info@pestshieldinc.com
Pest Shield, Inc. has applied Termidor® HE termiticide to homes across Mt. Airy and Central Maryland since 2011, operating under Maryland Department of Agriculture business license #30263. Termite protection treatments are performed by Jeffrey Allwine, our on-staff entomologist whose pest management background includes work on U.S. military bases in Africa. Owner Troy Yowell — Maryland certified pesticide applicator #19058 — brings roughly 35 years of industry experience, including years protecting U.S. military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan from disease-carrying pests. Pest Shield holds a 5.0 rating across 338+ Google and HomeAdvisor reviews, with 49 of those reviews specifically covering termite work.
How it works
Four steps. No surprises. Same answer whether it's your first call or your tenth.
You reach Troy or someone on his team directly. No call center, no dispatcher, no routing.
Same-day or next-day for most calls. Emergency stinging-insect situations and real-estate WDI deadlines get priority.
We identify the species, locate entry points, and find the source — not just the symptom.
Written recommendation, straightforward pricing, no obligation. If you don't need treatment, we'll tell you.
Most Mt. Airy homeowners discover termites in spring, when reproductive swarmers emerge from established colonies looking to start new ones. The species behind nearly all termite damage in Central Maryland is the Eastern subterranean termite (Reticulitermes flavipes) — a soil-dwelling insect that enters homes through foundations, expansion joints, and crawl space access points before working its way into structural wood. By the time activity is visible, the colony has typically been feeding for months or years.
The signs worth knowing:
A one-time spot treatment around visible activity rarely resolves a subterranean termite problem. The colony lives in the soil — sometimes a hundred feet from the structure — and continues feeding as long as the foragers can reach untreated wood. Eliminating the colony itself, not just the termites you can see, is what stops the damage.
60+ years of combined experience. Tell us what you’re seeing — we’ll come look, no obligation.
Troy was prompt in responding to my request for a termite inspection. He was honest in his inspection and cost estimate. He did a good job applying Termidor HE termite treatment around my house perimeter and in my porch slab and garage. Troy also applied additional treatment on areas where there were high concentrations of bugs (ants, crickets, etc.). Overall, Troy is an honest and knowledgeable pest control professional.
Tapan Suthar · July 2013 Read on HomeAdvisor →
Troy seems to genuinely like what he does and to educate his customers. He came to appointment ahead of time, explained things thoroughly, even taking me to crawl space under house to show where termites were entering house. Price was very competitive: price per linear foot was lower than other company and estimator from other company had included perimeter of a shed which, from my understanding, should not have been included because shed has no foundation, so not subject to invasion by termites. Work performed on time and as advertised. As indicated by others, a knowledgeable, competent and honest gentleman.
Otto Louis-Jacques · December 2015 Read on HomeAdvisor →
Troy was very friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. He was able to work with my historic home (with difficult access) and treat for my termite infestation. He was very reasonable with cost as compared to other quotes, especially the big pest companies (which I would not recommend). He was incredibly respectful of my newly planted grass and garden (as he had to maneuver his supplies through it to treat). He even helped to troubleshoot a leak in that part of the house. His communication was very clear and thorough as well. Initial inspection and treatment were prompt! Would definitely recommend.
Julia · May 2022 Read on Google →
General pest & rodent control
Pest Shield’s termite treatment is built around Termidor® HE — the high-efficiency formulation of fipronil that has been the industry-leading liquid termiticide for more than two decades. Termite protection treatments are performed by Jeffrey Allwine, our on-staff entomologist, who also handles team training. Before any treatment is recommended, Troy or Jeffrey performs a free, no-cost inspection — interior, exterior, and crawl space — to confirm the species, locate active galleries and mud tubes, and identify the conducive conditions feeding the colony.
Two properties of Termidor HE make it different from older termiticides:
Application is property-specific. Termidor HE is applied as a continuous treated zone in the soil around the foundation perimeter, and we treat through porch slabs, garage slabs, and any other slab-to-foundation interface where termites can travel undetected. Active areas — visible mud tubes, galleries, or swarmer entry points — receive additional treatment. Pricing is quoted by linear foot of foundation perimeter, so the estimate reflects the actual property rather than a flat package rate.
Treatment is delivered under Pest Shield’s Termite Warranty Plan:
| What’s included | Detail |
|---|---|
| Application | One-time Termidor HE perimeter and structural treatment |
| Colony elimination | Within 90 days of treatment |
| Residual protection | 15+ years in the treated soil zone |
| Effectiveness guarantee | 100% — if termites return within the warranty period, we re-treat at no charge |
| Warranty term | Lifetime renewable, transferable on sale of the home |
The lifetime renewable warranty is straightforward: as long as the homeowner keeps the warranty active through periodic renewal inspections, Pest Shield stands behind the treatment. If termite activity is confirmed during the warranty period, we treat again at no additional charge. The same warranty applies whether the next owner of the home renews it or you do.
On safety: Termidor HE is applied to soil, not broadcast inside the home. Once the treated soil is back in place and dry — typically within hours — the treated zone poses no exposure risk to children, pets, or landscaping under normal conditions. The product has been used on millions of U.S. homes since EPA registration and is approved for application directly around occupied residential structures. Troy or Jeffrey will walk through any specific concerns during the inspection, including pets, garden beds, well locations, and pollinator plantings.
Owner
Founded Pest Shield in 2011 after years as a pest management contractor on U.S. military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan. Around 35 years in pest management. Personally handles or leads the majority of service calls.
Pest Management Specialist
Field technician handling residential and commercial service calls across Frederick, Carroll, and Montgomery counties.
Pest Management Specialist
Field technician handling residential and commercial service calls across the service area.
Our Entomologist
Consulting entomologist on species identification, conducive conditions, and treatment strategy for difficult cases.
Mt. Airy straddles the Carroll and Frederick county line along the ridge between the Patapsco and Monocacy watersheds, with Route 27 and I-70 connecting the town to Damascus, New Market, Westminster, and Frederick. The surrounding terrain is rolling, wooded, and clay-heavy — soils that hold moisture long after surface conditions dry, particularly in low-lying yards and crawl space footprints.
Those clay soils are part of why subterranean termite pressure stays elevated across this part of Central Maryland year-round, with swarms running March through May. Older Mt. Airy properties — stone foundations, crawl space construction, expansion joints under porches and garage slabs — give termites direct soil-to-wood corridors that newer slab-on-grade homes don’t have. Troy and Jeffrey have treated these specific construction styles across Carroll, Frederick, and Montgomery counties for years, and our pest control in Mt. Airy covers the full range of pressures homeowners face in this area.
Termites can’t detect Termidor HE in the soil, so they walk through the treated zone normally and pick up the active ingredient on their bodies. When they return to the colony, they pass it to other termites through contact and grooming — and those termites pass it to others. Because the chemistry transfers through the colony faster than termites die from it, the entire colony is exposed before foraging activity stops. That’s what produces colony-level elimination instead of just killing the termites in the treated zone.
Termidor HE eliminates the colony within 90 days of treatment, and that timing is backed by Pest Shield’s 100% effective guarantee under the Termite Warranty Plan. You’ll typically see foraging activity drop off within the first few weeks as termites pick up the active ingredient and carry it back to the colony. Some wood-staining or surface activity may persist briefly while the transfer effect works through the colony — that’s normal and not a sign the treatment has failed.
It means the warranty stays in force as long as you keep it active through periodic renewal inspections — there’s no expiration date built in. If termite activity is confirmed during the warranty period, Pest Shield re-treats at no charge. The warranty is also transferable, so if you sell the home, the next owner can keep it active under the same terms. Troy or Jeffrey will walk you through the renewal schedule when you enroll.
One application is the standard treatment under the Termite Warranty Plan. Termidor HE has a documented residual life of 15+ years in the treated soil zone, which is why it’s applied as a one-time perimeter and structural treatment rather than on an annual cycle. If termite activity is detected during the warranty period, Pest Shield re-treats at no charge — but the typical homeowner doesn’t need a second full application within the residual window.
Yes — Termidor HE is applied to soil around the foundation, not broadcast inside the home, and once the treated soil is back in place and dry, the area poses no exposure risk under normal conditions. The product is EPA-approved for application around occupied residential structures and has been used on millions of U.S. homes. If you have specific concerns about pets, garden beds, vegetable plantings, a well, or pollinator areas, Troy or Jeffrey will go over the treatment plan with you during the free inspection and adjust the application accordingly.
