A Termite Inspection – What Will Take Place?
If you suspect that you may have termites infesting in your property ignoring them could be most costly mistake you ever make.
Termites feed on cellulose and the wooden structure of your home will keep many thousands perhaps even millions of termites nesting somewhere in the vicinity well fed for a lengthy period of time. Disastrously, this can and will cause severe structural damage to your house and could possibly destroy it completely. Therefore employing a qualified inspector to carry out a full termite inspection could be a very small price to pay.
What should you expect during a termite inspection?
Put simply a termite inspection is a visual inspection of all accessible parts of your property to determine if there is any activity from wood destroying bugs or organisms. The inspection should cover the whole building, inside and out and should include any basements and any areas of crawlspace. The garden landscape including near by trees, wooden fences and outhouses such as sheds etc. should all be covered in the full termite inspection. In properties where there is no basement or crawl space the loft space may be inspected especially if you live in an area where dry-wood termites are a problem. The whole procedure should only take in the region of 45 minutes, but it could save you thousands of dollars.
FACT:- Did you have any idea that your general home insurance policy does NOT cover you for termite damage?
Carrying out a termite inspection in the attic of a dwelling might seem a bit odd considering termites are usually found underground. This is because along with looking for termite activity the inspector is also looking for evidence of any other bugs like carpenter ants and beetles which will also destroy the timber in and around a property. If Dry-wood termites are a known threat in your area the inspector will be extra vigilant, looking for dry-wood termite pellets (faecal matter) which can normally be spotted on surfaces and stuck in spiders webs.
Some things to consider – don’t lulled in to a false sense of security because you live in a location where the weather can be cold. Cold conditions may reduce termite activity and they may go into a state of hibernation but it will not KILL THEM. Just as soon as the weather begins to warm up the termites will well and truly be back. Secondly, termites don’t advertise the fact that they are invading and eating the framework of your home. These tiny insects are very discrete, moving in silence through underground tunnels and inside the timber. It is not unknown for them to completely demolished much of the wood from the inside ages before you have any idea that there is potentially a problem. For this reason if your locale is prone to termite infestations perhaps spending a few dollars each year to have a full termite inspection carried out periodically would be money well spent.
That said, vigilance on your part is also invaluable, it is highly unlikely that you will come across termites crawling round your basement but, if you take time to look closely you may find subtle signs of their presence. Termite droppings are often the first clue. These look like grains of sand or sawdust scattered around. They vary in colour from brown to beige (depending on the type of wood the termites have eaten!) You may of course discover more evidence of direct timber damage in the form of a structure which looks like a hollow beehive, or you may find that when you knock on wooden posts they sound hollow.
Regardless of whether you know you have a termite problem, think you may have a termite problem or are conscious that other properties in your area have termite problems getting a full termite inspection done is the only way to be sure. The inspector will provide you with a full written report and help and advise if required and piece of mind if not!
A Termite Inspection – What Will Take Place? By house | February 5, 2011
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