If termites have infested your home, they can be hard to eradicate. Therefore, you must schedule a home inspection regularly to detect termites before they spread further. Read the full article to learn about what to expect when termite damage has been found in the house.
What is it, and why is it necessary to have a regular home inspection?
Whether you are planning to purchase your dream house or sell your existing one, you should make sure that the house is in good condition before making a final decision. It is not surprising that home inspection has become more popular in the current real estate market as it tells you the state of the house, which helps you make the final decision.
- Professionals or certified individuals conduct it to determine concerns with the property’s structure and mechanical systems. When a house is inspected, it discloses any significant deficiencies, safety concerns, dis-functionalities, and parts that are approaching the end of their service lives.
- You also receive a report from your home inspector detailing your house’s current state of pest infestation [such as Termite], the present risk of infestation, and you can take recommendations on how to keep your home pest-free followed by regular pest prevention measures accordingly.
- However, if you do not get your house inspected regularly and have pest such as termites which is hard to detect with naked eyes until your home gets significant damage. It can cost thousands of dollars to fix the damage caused by termites, depending on the location and age of the colony.
Now, you must be wondering what these termites are. Let’s further learn about them.
What are termites?
Insects feeding on cellulose found in wood, soil, and dead leaves are called termites, or wood-destroying organisms. A large colony can eat a pound of cellulose a day, but most colonies consume much less.
A termite infestation is one of your home’s most dangerous pest infestations. They do not spread disease, sting, bite, or contaminate your food supply. However, they do damage your home’s structure. As termites feed on wood from the inside out, there is a minimal indication of an infestation until it’s too late. They usually appear in early spring and often being confused with a swarm of flying ants.
What Type of Damage Can Termites Do to House?
There is nothing worse than dealing with a pest infestation in your home. Regarding causing damage to your home, termites cause the most property damage among all pest infestations. Termite damage is usually found in wood floor structures located inside crawl spaces or along the interior wall of a concrete slab foundation.
You cannot simply ignore or learn to live with termites. If left uninspected, they will continue damaging your home for years. Over time, the termite activity weakens your home and leaves it vulnerable to further destruction.
Let’s see what types of damage they can do to the house:
- Wood damage inside your home
Termites that begin their lives on the wood under your house can eventually move into your walls if they aren’t exterminated. A type of termite can even eat wood furniture and other items inside your home. They are known as dry wood termite, which does not even need moisture to survive.
- Wood damage around your window and doors
In your house, there are many places where wood is hidden from view and therefore cannot be quickly inspected. Such areas include the wood inside the walls, the wood under the house, and the wood inside the attic. Other wood areas in your home, including those around your windows and doors, can easily be checked for termite damage.
- House structural wood damage
Certain termite species require moisture to live. The subterranean termite is one example of this. Subterranean termites prefer moist soil and will even develop their colonies in it.
A large percentage of termite damage occurs in areas such as the crawl space or along your home’s foundation walls. Damage in these locations can be expensive since it is difficult to repair and can affect other portions of the house.
What to expect when an inspector finds termite damage during a Home inspection?
During a home inspection, if termites or WDO activity is discovered, the inspector will suggest hiring a pest control contractor to assess and treat the infestation. If there is enough damage to the home, you will need a building contractor or structural engineer to assess the situation and determine how they should handle the property.
Can a Home Inspector Perform a Termite Inspection?
When inspecting a house, termite inspectors look for evidence of wood destroying organisms in and around the house. While home inspectors generally inspect the exterior first, then go upstairs, a termite inspector starts at the bottom and works their way up.
To perform a WDO [Wood Destroying Organism] inspection, a home inspector must be employed by a licensed pest control company and have the necessary training.
However, Home inspectors can learn how to identify WDOs through training courses offered by organizations like the (InterNACHI) International Association of Certified Home Inspectors and (ASHI) American Society of Home Inspectors, but these courses do not certify inspectors to produce WDO inspection reports. Since termite inspection is specialized, pest control companies typically hold licenses to make the report.
If you are looking for someone who can perform WDO and home inspection, then RSH engineering is what you are looking for. We conduct termite inspections with our team of affiliate licensed termite inspectors. If RSH Engineers notice wood frame damage in an attic or crawl space, it is communicated to our licensed termite inspector, who further takes care of the situation.
