- (301) 829-0060
- Mt. Airy, MD
- info@pestshieldinc.com
Pest Shield, Inc. (MDA #30263, MD Certified #19058) has delivered licensed termite treatment across Frederick County since 2011, with over 75 years of combined pest management experience on staff. Jeffrey Allwine, Pest Shield‘s on-staff entomologist, specializes in termite protection treatments and brings field experience from pest management work on U.S. military bases in Africa — an unusual depth of diagnostic credential for a residential applicator. Owner Troy Yowell has approximately 35 years in the pest management industry and is named in the majority of Pest Shield’s 338+ five-star reviews across Google and HomeAdvisor.
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.
Eastern subterranean termites (Reticulitermes flavipes) are the most destructive wood-destroying insect in North America, and Central Maryland’s soil and climate conditions are well-suited to their establishment. In New Market and the surrounding Frederick County area, most homeowners discover an infestation not because they went looking — but because something finally became visible. By that point, structural damage is often already underway.
Frederick County’s clay-heavy soils are a meaningful factor in local termite pressure. Clay retains moisture against foundation walls far longer than sandy or loamy soils — and sustained ground moisture at the foundation line is precisely the condition that supports Eastern subterranean termite colony establishment and expansion. New Market’s residential character compounds this: the town sits at the eastern edge of Frederick County, where wooded hillside lots and established tree lines keep soil shaded and moist well into the season. Older homes with wood-to-soil contact, crawl spaces, and mature landscaping close to the foundation are particularly exposed.
Spring swarm season is the most common trigger for discovery — but the colony responsible for a swarm has typically been active for three to five years before producing reproductives. Structural damage accumulates silently in the interim. A professional inspection is the only reliable way to assess what’s actually present.
60+ years of combined experience. Tell us what you’re seeing — we’ll come look, no obligation.
Troy came out immediately to look at our house and did find termites, he was very professional, friendly and made us feel very comfortable; he explained everything to us; we had did some comparsion shopping with other companies and didn’t get the comfortable feeling with the other companies, Pest Shield was by far the best, I would recommend Pest Shield to anyone, they are a company that you can trust to have your best interest at heart. Troy was the best.
Linda Allen · July 2014 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 had gotten a “free inspection” from another BIG, WELL-KNOWN company and they had me believing I had live termites. I was suspicious when they didn’t show up for the initial treatment, and more so when I got conflicting information from people at their company. Turns out I didn’t have termites, and Troy was straight up, didn’t try to rip me off with a service I didn’t need. He SAVED me $1400 and I will surely use him in the future if I ever have a pest problem of any kind! Go Pest Shield!
Marion Entwisle · June 2014 Read on HomeAdvisor →
General pest & rodent control
Pest Shield’s termite treatment begins with a free inspection. Troy Yowell or Jeffrey Allwine assesses the property — interior, exterior, crawl space, and any areas of reported or suspected activity — before any treatment is recommended. Troy has documented the practice of taking homeowners directly into crawl spaces to show where termites are entering and what the evidence looks like (Otto Louis-Jacques review). Jeffrey Allwine, Pest Shield’s on-staff entomologist, performs termite protection treatments and supports the diagnostic process with species-level expertise that most small pest control operations have to outsource. The inspection is free, and no treatment is recommended unless the evidence warrants it.
When treatment is indicated, Pest Shield applies Termidor® HE under the Termite Warranty Plan — a one-time application with a 100% effective guarantee, 90-day colony eradication, 15+ year residual effects, and a lifetime renewable warranty. The application covers the foundation perimeter, porch slabs, and garage areas, with additional treatment applied to any zones of confirmed activity (per Tapan Suthar review, which documents this application pattern directly).
The reason Termidor HE works where repellent termiticides fall short is its non-repellent chemistry. Eastern subterranean termites cannot detect Termidor HE in the treated soil. They pass through the treatment zone, pick up the active ingredient on their bodies, and carry it back into the colony through normal grooming and contact behavior — a mechanism known as the transfer effect. The colony doesn’t retreat from a treated perimeter; it is eliminated from within. This is why a single properly applied treatment can eradicate an established colony within 90 days and maintain protection for 15 or more years.
| Termite Warranty Plan — Key Terms | |
|---|---|
| Treatment product | Termidor® HE — one-time application |
| Colony eradication timeline | Within 90 days of treatment |
| Residual protection | 15+ years |
| Guarantee | 100% effective guarantee |
| Warranty | Lifetime renewable warranty |
After treatment, Pest Shield provides clear documentation of what was applied, where, and what to expect in the weeks that follow. If termites return after a completed Termidor HE treatment under the Termite Warranty Plan, Pest Shield stands behind the work — that’s what the lifetime renewable warranty is for. Troy’s pricing is by linear foot of foundation perimeter, and multiple customers have noted that his per-foot rate came in lower than competing quotes for the same scope of work.
Termidor HE is applied as a soil treatment around the exterior foundation — it is not sprayed on surfaces inside the home. Once the treated soil has dried, the area is safe for family members and pets. Troy advises on any site-specific precautions at the time of service, and the treatment is fully compatible with occupied homes.
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.
New Market sits at the eastern edge of Frederick County along U.S. Route 144, roughly midway between Frederick and the Montgomery County line, with Interstate 70 running just to the north. The town’s residential character — established neighborhoods, wooded lots, and homes ranging from historic 18th-century structures to mid-century and newer construction — places it squarely in the service corridor Pest Shield covers across Frederick, Carroll, and Montgomery counties.
Frederick County’s clay-heavy soils are the defining local factor in termite risk. Clay retains moisture at the foundation line far longer than sandy soils, and New Market’s position on the wooded eastern slope of the county keeps that moisture elevated through much of the year. Older homes with crawl spaces, wood-to-soil contact, or mature tree lines close to the foundation face sustained termite pressure — and spring swarm season along the I-70 corridor is a reliable annual trigger for discovery. For homeowners buying or selling in New Market, Pest Shield also performs WDI inspections for VA loans, refinances, and pre-sale transactions, often accommodating tight closing timelines. Homeowners managing broader seasonal pest pressure alongside termite concerns can also explore pest control in New Market for year-round coverage.
Termidor HE works through what’s called the transfer effect. Eastern subterranean termites cannot detect it in the soil — it has no repellent properties — so they pass through the treated zone normally and pick up the active ingredient on their bodies. Through grooming, feeding, and contact with other colony members, they spread it throughout the colony. The colony is eliminated from within, not just at the perimeter. This is what distinguishes Termidor HE from older repellent termiticides, which termites learn to route around, leaving the colony intact.
Under Pest Shield’s Termite Warranty Plan, Termidor HE eradicates the termite colony within 90 days of treatment. The transfer effect takes time to propagate through the colony — you may see some continued surface activity in the first few weeks, which is normal. The 90-day window reflects the biology of how the active ingredient moves through the colony population. Pest Shield’s treatment carries a 100% effective guarantee, and the Termite Warranty Plan’s lifetime renewable warranty covers you if activity reappears after that.
Termidor HE is applied as a soil treatment around the exterior foundation — it is not sprayed on interior surfaces or in living areas. Once the treated soil has dried, the area is safe for family members and pets. Troy advises on any site-specific precautions at the time of service. The treatment is designed for occupied homes, and Pest Shield uses EPA-approved methods throughout.
The Termite Warranty Plan’s lifetime renewable warranty means that if termite activity returns after a completed Termidor HE treatment, Pest Shield will address it — the protection doesn’t expire after a fixed term. Termidor HE itself carries 15+ year residual effects in the soil, which is the foundation of the warranty’s durability. The “renewable” structure means you can maintain continuous coverage over the life of the home. Troy does not charge extra for the warranty; it is part of the Termite Warranty Plan as applied.
Pest Shield’s free termite inspection covers the interior, exterior, crawl space, and any areas of reported or suspected activity. Troy or Jeffrey Allwine will identify evidence of Eastern subterranean termite activity — mud tubes, damaged wood, frass, entry points — and explain what they find in plain terms, including showing you the problem areas directly when accessible. If no treatment is warranted, they’ll tell you that too: Marion Entwisle’s review documents Troy finding no live termites after another company had convinced her she had an active infestation, saving her $1,400. If treatment is recommended, you’ll receive a clear explanation of the scope, the Termidor HE application plan, and pricing before any work begins.
