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TERMITE INSPECTION / WOOD DESTROYING INSECT INSPECTION
Throughout the Midwest, there are widespread colonies of dry wood termites, powder post beetles and subterranean termites that have the potential to turn any structure into a heap of termite trash. Prevent termites and powder post beetles from destroying your load-bearing walls and damaging the beams that support your home with an annual termite inspection that offers several benefits to homeowners including peace of mind. Our termite inspection service can help you protect your home from structural damage and save thousands of dollars in repairs and restorations.
Why Inspect?
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Early termite inspections can help homeowners save substantial repair costs in the long haul
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Prevent the potential of extensive damage that cannot be repaired
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Timely inspections assess the conditions that leave your property vulnerable to termites and minimize the risk of attack
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If you are purchasing a property, a thorough termite inspection can save you from investing in a money pit
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If you are selling a property, an inspection can help you fix the termite damage on time and prevent the infestation from adversely affecting the resale value of your property
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It may be a condition of your home loan to have a proper wood destroying insect inspection
Have you encountered piles of sawdust, small holes in wood members, mud tubes leading to your property or have been inundated by clouds of winged termites? These are all signs that you have a termite infestation. Aardvark Home Inspectors will send a termite inspector to examine these areas of infestation free of charge. Our comprehensive wood destroying pests and organism inspection reports cover all sections of termite activity.
Signs Of Termite Activity
Uneven or Bubbling Paint - Uneven or bubbling paint is often a sign of moisture build-up, which could mean one of two things – water damage or termites.
Hollowed Out Wood - Termites tend to eat wood from the inside out, so wood that sounds hollow when tapped often signifies a termite infestation. Homeowners should also look for blistering pieces of wood.
Carpenter Ants - Carpenter ants are large ants indigenous to many forested parts of the world. They build nests inside wood consisting of galleries chewed out with their mandibles, preferably in dead, damp wood. However, unlike termites, they do not consume wood, discarding a material that resembles sawdust.
Mud Tubes - Subterranean termites create mud tubes to travel from the soil to their food source – which may be your home. These pencil-thin tunnels retain moisture and protect the termites from drying out. Most often you will see mud tubes around a home’s foundation.
Swarms - A termite swarm is usually the only time homeowners actually see termites or find out they have termites before damage is discovered. This is how termites establish new colonies. Termite swarms can occur both indoors and outside.
Powder Post Beetle Exit Holes - Infestations typically are discovered after noticing powder, accompanied by small, round “shot holes” in the wood surface. These are exit holes where adult beetles have chewed out of the wood after completing their development.
OUR TERMITE INSPECTION PROCESS
Whether you have just started paying for your home or have paid on it for years, protect the most valuable investment of your life with our comprehensive termite inspection service that starts with the scheduling of an inspection with our trained and licensed termite inspectors. Once the inspection is scheduled, we follow the steps mentioned below:
Pre Inspection
Contact our office to set up a date and time to do the inspection. The office will inform you on how to prepare your home for the inspection. For example, move storage away from the interior garage walls, off of the subarea access panel, under the attic access and from under all sinks. This will allow the inspector access to all areas of possible termite infestations, leaks or damages.
The Inspection
The inspector will first meet with you to go over any questions or any concerns you may have. Next using a probing device the inspector will poke at any wood members that are accessible to check them for signs of wood destroying pest damage, fungus or water damage. The inspector will also look for conditions that could lead to damage or infestations. For example, wood in direct contact with soil, gaps in siding or trim boards, leaks or water draining against the house.
The inspector will then go through the entire interior of the home, checking along the window sills, baseboards and under all sinks, looking for signs of infestations, leaks or damages. The attic will be viewed from the access opening for signs of damage or infestations. If the home is on a raised foundation the inspector will then crawl under the house looking for signs of wood destroying pests, subterranean termite mud tubes, powder post beetle exit holes, and Carpenter Ant frass, and or bodies. The inspector will then review the findings and recommendations with you before leaving.
Post Inspection
A report will be written on the NPMA-33 form with the findings, recommendations, and in some cases the cost to remedy. A detailed written report showing the locations of findings and their recommendations, as well as cost estimates, will be provided. A separate file will include photos of most findings. An e-mail with the report will be sent to you within 1-2 business days. (This is our normal turnaround time. Special circumstances may prevent this timeline.) Reports can also be sent by traditional mail if desired.