Why all the caution?
Termites, dry rot, and the other hazards they’re looking for
in a pest inspection can cause irreparable damage to your home. The damage is
often hidden below subfloors, structural beams, or inside the wood that makes up
your home, making detection nearly impossible until it’s late. Left unchecked,
these issues can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage or, in extreme
cases, even make the home unlivable. Even more scary, moisture problems can be
a breeding ground for toxic mold and pest infestations, both of which could
harm your family.
Can you keep termites
away forever?
And it’s impossible to completely protect your home from
these conditions, only keep an eye on them and have your home inspected at
intervals. That’s why pest inspectors always say there are only two types of
homes: those that have termites, and homes that will have termites.
California state law actually does not require a pest
control inspection report with the sale of property. However, the mortgage
lender almost always wants to see a pest report and certification that certain
items have been cleared.
Why are mortgage
lenders interested in your pest inspection?
Banks want to diminish their risk and protect their
investment, so they only want to lend money on a property that isn’t in danger
of rotting away and falling over!
Mortgage lenders and pest reports usually differentiate
between two categories of information: Section 1 items and Section 2 items.
Section 1 documents active infestations and damage, while Section 2 outlines
the conditions that could lead to further Section 1 damage. Some types of
loans, like FHA and VA, do require Section 2 items are addressed, too, before
they’ll sign off on the loan.
Who is qualified to
conduct a pest inspection?
In California, pest inspection companies need to be licensed
and in good standing with the Structural Pest Control Board (SPCB).
You can contact the SPCB at:
Or call 1-800-737-8188
Or 916-561 8708 in Sacramento
Of course or buyers and sellers have used many pest
inspection companies, so contact us if you’d like some recommendations.
A pest inspection is a comprehensive visual inspection of
the subject property that’s looking for evidence of termites and other pests,
as well as water damage, rot, and conditions that manifest in infestations. The
inspector will look outside, inside, in crawl spaces, attics, and areas that
are accessible, but not normally accessed. Of course they can’t see behind
walls, under carpet, and in concrete slabs, etc. but inspectors are adept at
working around these inaccessible areas and still detecting evidence of
problems.
A pest inspection usually runs about 45 minutes to 1½ hours
depending on the property and what they find. Inspectors don’t normally go
through out buildings like sheds and pool houses unless specifically requested.
What is the pest
report?
After they conduct the pest inspection, the termite company
will put together a detailed report with all of their findings. The report will
break down both Section 1 and Section 2 items that were discovered. These are
documented in writing and also in the form of a diagram of the house and the areas
of concern.
The second part of the report is an estimate to repair the
Section 1 and Section 2 items. The seller (who usually pays for Section 1 pest
work) is under no legal obligation to use the pest company to perform this work
just because the company did the report. They can have a licensed contractor do
the repairs needed and then call the pest company to come back and inspect,
clearing Section 1 pest work and issuing an amendment to the report so the real
estate transaction and mortgage can commence.
Once inspected, the pest company must deliver this report to
the person who ordered it within 10 days, though it is usually openly shared
with the other agents and parties to the real estate transaction. These reports
are kept on file with the pest company for three years.
Inspectors are looking for damage and signs of an active
termite infestation along with many other hazards, including other
wood-destroying organisms, fungus (dry-rot), and holes in the wood. They’ll
take note of signs that pests were once there even if they don’t appear to be
still active, dead insects and termite tubes. Inspectors also thoroughly
investigate places where water is leaking, dripping, standing, and especially
where earth meets any wood, all breeding grounds for future problems.
What are the most
common wood-destroying organisms?
Subterranean termites are the most common variety of
termites and the ones that can cause some of the worst damage to a home. They
build their nest in the ground and travel via mud tubes to get food. They can
enter a structure through cracks, expansion joints, hollow bricks or concrete
blocks around plumbing and in any opening as small as 1/32 of an inch, but
they’re most prevalent anywhere that bare wood touches soil, especially if it’s
wet.
There are other kinds of termites,
like dry-wood termites that don’t nest in the ground but have wings and fly
right into wood structures. You’ll often find these above ground level like in
window frames, door frames, and the wood trim on the outside of your house.
Wood boring beetles are probably the second-biggest pest
hazard to your home. They bore into the wood and leave numerous slots or holes
and debris where they entered the wood. These beetles can attack the substructure
like subfloors, joists, and piers, so they’re particularly dangerous.
Damp-wood termites, carpenter ants, wasps, bees, and rodents
are other critters that pest inspectors may point out.
Dry rot is another blight to the wood structure, but the
name is somewhat misleading because it’s actually a fungus that’s caused by
excessive moisture, not dry at all. When wood is consistently getting wet, the
fungus grows and spreads into the fibers of the wood, rotting and softening it,
and eventually causing structural damage. The fungus that causes dry rot needs
oxygen, water, and a food source (cellulose - or wood) to survive, so in the
absence of protracted moisture it cannot live.
