- (301) 829-0060
- Mt. Airy, MD
- info@pestshieldinc.com
Pest Shield, Inc. has provided termite treatment across Frederick County since 2011, holding Maryland Department of Agriculture business license MDA #30263 and serving Emmitsburg as part of an established service area that spans Frederick, Carroll, and Montgomery counties. Jeffrey Allwine, an on-staff entomologist who performs termite protection treatments, brings species-level diagnostic expertise that most residential pest control companies have to outsource. Troy Yowell, the owner and lead technician, has approximately 35 years of pest management experience and personally inspects crawl spaces and explains findings before any treatment is recommended. Pest Shield has earned 338+ five-star reviews across Google and HomeAdvisor, including from homeowners who called after being quoted unnecessary or overpriced work by other companies.
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.
Subterranean termites — specifically Reticulitermes flavipes, the Eastern subterranean termite — are the primary termite species in Maryland. Colonies can be active inside a structure for years before the damage becomes visible, which is why recognizing early signs matters. If you’re seeing any of the following, a professional inspection is the right next step.
Emmitsburg’s position at the base of the Catoctin Mountains creates conditions that favor subterranean termite activity. The area’s clay and loam soils retain moisture well — and moisture-rich soil adjacent to a foundation is exactly what subterranean termite colonies need to thrive. Many homes in Emmitsburg predate modern pest-resistant construction practices; stone and masonry foundations, common in this part of northern Frederick County, create direct soil-to-wood contact points that give termites easy access to structural framing. Wooded lots, leaf litter, and proximity to agricultural land keep organic matter and ground moisture elevated near foundations year-round. A colony can establish and cause significant damage long before a homeowner notices anything wrong — which is why waiting for obvious signs before calling is a risk most Emmitsburg homeowners would rather not take.
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 is a true professional. He accommodated my schedule by coming after hours to do an inspection. I 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 →
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
Every termite engagement starts with a free inspection. Troy inspects the property — including the crawl space — identifies where termites are entering, assesses the extent of activity, and explains what he found before recommending any treatment. Jeffrey Allwine, Pest Shield’s on-staff entomologist, performs termite protection treatments and provides species-level expertise that informs both the diagnosis and the treatment approach. If a second opinion is what you need after a quote from another company, that inspection is free as well.
Pest Shield’s termite treatment is delivered under the Termite Warranty Plan, built around a single application of Termidor® HE termiticide — a professional-grade, non-repellent termiticide applied around the full foundation perimeter, including porch slabs and garages, with additional treatment concentrated on areas of active infestation. Termidor HE works through a transfer effect: termites that contact the treated zone carry the active ingredient back to the colony, eradicating it from within. The result is complete colony eradication within 90 days of treatment.
| Termite Warranty Plan — What’s Included | Detail |
|---|---|
| Treatment product | Termidor® HE termiticide |
| Application | One-time — full foundation perimeter, porch slabs, garages, active areas |
| Colony eradication timeline | Within 90 days |
| Residual protection | 15+ years |
| Effectiveness guarantee | 100% |
| Warranty | Lifetime renewable |
This is not a recurring treatment plan. You are not signing up for annual retreatments or ongoing service fees. One application of Termidor HE provides 15+ years of residual protection, backed by a lifetime renewable warranty — meaning the protection can be extended indefinitely without starting over. The 100% effective guarantee means that if the treatment doesn’t fully resolve the infestation, Pest Shield comes back. National chains often frame termite protection as a subscription; Pest Shield’s approach is a single, well-executed treatment backed by a warranty that lasts as long as you own the home.
Termidor HE is applied by MDA-licensed technicians as an exterior perimeter treatment — the product is introduced into the soil around the foundation, not broadcast inside living spaces. This exterior-focused application approach keeps treatment away from interior areas of the home. Termidor HE is an EPA-registered termiticide; applied by licensed professionals at label rates, it is appropriate for use around 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.
Emmitsburg sits at the northern tip of Frederick County, roughly 10 miles south of the Pennsylvania border along U.S. Route 15, at the foot of the Catoctin Mountains. The town is surrounded by the agricultural land and wooded terrain of the Catoctin Mountain corridor, with Cunningham Falls State Park and Catoctin Mountain Park to the south and east. Pest Shield operates out of Mt. Airy and serves all of Frederick County, making Emmitsburg a regular part of its established service area.
The combination of older housing stock, stone and block foundation construction, and the moisture-retaining clay and loam soils of the Catoctin foothills creates above-average subterranean termite pressure in Emmitsburg. Many homes here predate modern pest-resistant building practices, leaving direct soil-to-wood contact points that Eastern subterranean termites exploit readily. Proximity to wooded lots and agricultural fields keeps organic matter and ground moisture elevated near foundations — conditions that sustain termite colonies through Maryland’s full seasonal cycle. For homeowners dealing with other pest pressures alongside termites, pest control in Emmitsburg covers the full range of year-round protection.
The clearest distinction is the body shape and wing profile: termites have a straight waist, straight antennae, and two pairs of equal-length wings; flying ants have a pinched waist, elbowed antennae, and wings of unequal length. In spring, Eastern subterranean termite swarmers emerge in large numbers — often near windows or light sources — and shed their wings almost immediately, leaving small piles of equal-length wings near sills or doors. If you’re finding discarded wings without seeing the insects themselves, that’s a stronger indicator of termites than ants. Mud tubes on foundation walls or crawl space piers are termite-specific and confirm subterranean activity regardless of whether you’ve seen swarmers. If you’re not certain, Pest Shield’s free inspection will identify what you’re dealing with before any treatment is recommended.
Termidor HE is a professional-grade, non-repellent termiticide — meaning termites cannot detect it and do not avoid the treated zone. It is applied as a continuous treatment into the soil around the full foundation perimeter, creating a treated barrier that foraging termites pass through without knowing it. The active ingredient transfers from termite to termite through normal colony contact and grooming behavior, spreading through the colony until it is eradicated. Because termites carry the product back to the nest rather than simply dying at the treatment zone, Termidor HE eliminates the colony at its source — not just the workers encountered at the perimeter. Under Pest Shield’s Termite Warranty Plan, the full colony is eradicated within 90 days of treatment, with residual protection lasting 15+ years.
One Termidor HE application is the treatment — not the first installment of a recurring program. The product’s residual activity in the soil lasts 15+ years, which is why Pest Shield backs it with a lifetime renewable warranty rather than scheduling annual retreatments. This is a meaningful distinction from how some national companies structure termite protection, where ongoing service fees are built into the model. Under Pest Shield’s Termite Warranty Plan, the warranty can be renewed indefinitely, extending protection for as long as you own the home without requiring a new application.
The lifetime renewable warranty under Pest Shield’s Termite Warranty Plan means the protection established by the Termidor HE treatment can be extended indefinitely — you are not limited to a fixed warranty window that expires and requires a new treatment purchase to reinstate. The plan includes a 100% effective guarantee: if the treatment does not fully eradicate the termite colony, Pest Shield returns to address it. The warranty is renewable, meaning you can maintain continuous documented protection on the property for as long as you choose to keep it active. For questions about specific warranty terms for your property, the free inspection is the right starting point.
Termidor HE is an EPA-registered termiticide applied by MDA-licensed technicians at label-specified rates into the soil around the exterior foundation perimeter — it is not broadcast inside the home or applied to surfaces where family members or pets have direct contact. The exterior perimeter application approach keeps the treatment in the soil zone adjacent to the foundation, away from interior living spaces. Troy has documented experience working carefully around gardens and landscaping — the Julia review above describes him maneuvering treatment equipment through a newly planted garden with care. If you have specific concerns about children, pets, or plantings near the treatment zone, raise them during the free inspection and Troy will address them directly.
