How To Prepare For Termite Inspection?

How To Prepare For Termite Inspection?
  • Author: Amanda Arnold
  • Posted On: January 15, 2022
  • Updated On: August 21, 2023

When your home is due for a termite inspection, you don’t just sit around and wait for the professionals to arrive. More than anyone else, you are responsible for keeping your home pest-free.

Trusted pest control firms like Waynes Pest Control in Huntsville will do all possible to provide you with a pest-free home​​​​​​​, but they will need your help to obtain the greatest results. Termites can inflict significant and long-term damage to your house. A termite examination from a professional pest control firm is recommended if you suspect you have a termite infestation.

Read our guide for all you need to know about termite inspections. A termite examination is the most effective prevention technique.

Fortunately, unless it’s part of a real estate transaction, many pest control firms will free perform your first termite inspection. Everything you need to know about termite inspections is right here, from preparing to what inspectors look for.

Why Do You Need To Prepare Your Home?

Ask your termite inspector what to prepare when you schedule your inspection. The termite inspector will require access to your garage and exterior walls, as well as your attic, crawl space, sinks, and other places on your property.

Move items aside from the garage walls by two feet so the inspector can see where the walls meet the slab floor. Termites might enter the garage through expansion joints.

The inspector will travel under your house if it has a raised foundation. The crawl space must be accessed by the inspector, who normally does so from outside the house. Remove anything that is blocking the crawl space’s entrance. Remove any items that may obstruct the inspector’s view.

Steps To Prepare For The Termite Inspection

The first line of defense if you suspect your home has a termite infestation is to contact a pest control firm. Professional exterminators have the tools and know-how to eliminate these pests from your home. However, you should do a few things to prepare for the termite inspection.

Clear The Storage

Because the exterminator will be doing a thorough check, make sure any places that could be affected are clutter-free. Remove anything within two feet of your home from the storage space beneath the kitchen and bathroom sinks. It’s also possible that you’ll need to clear two feet of space around the garage’s inner walls.

Clear Away The Attic’s Blockage

Clear any obstructions in the attic before the exterminator arrives. If the attic door is located inside a closet, just remove any personal belongings to ensure that debris and insulation do not cause any damage.

Check The Crawl Space For Complete Inspection

If your house is built on a raised foundation, the termite inspector will need to enter the crawl space beneath it to conduct a thorough inspection. Remove anything on the outside of the house that may be limiting access to the space for this.

Termite droppings, broken wings, and mud tubes, as well as damaged wood, will be looked for by the exterminator during the inspection. They will also determine potential entrance points and alert you to any issues that may exacerbate the termite infestation. They’ll then talk about termite treatments to permanently remove the infestation.

What Are The Indications For The Termite’s Presence?

When termite inspectors begin on the hunt, they look for a few essential pieces of evidence. These are signs that you may be able to detect on your own. Unfortunately, you won’t know you have termites in your house until they’ve caused havoc on your woodwork. It’s for this reason that termite inspections are so important.

Hollow Wood Is A Sign Of Termite’s Presence

If your wood sounds hollow when you tap it, it’s a solid sign of termite activity. Termites wreak havoc on the structural joints of your wood, leaving them wrinkled or crushed. You can use a screwdriver to expose any tunnels in the wood. Subterranean termites have a specific pattern of tunneling that runs parallel to the wood grain.

A Colony Of Swarms

Subterranean termites swarm when the weather warms up, preparing to establish a new colony. They shed their wings when they leave for greener pastures, frequently leaving them in piles. Your paint may bubble or flake if you have subterranean termites.

When termites chew through drywall, moisture and air can penetrate the paint and the surface. As a result, the moisture beneath the painted surface may begin to buckle. Keep in mind that your paint could be bubbling for various reasons and isn’t necessarily a symptom of termite activity.

A Clear Spot Of Live Termites

It’s famously difficult to see live termites. If you’re unfortunate enough to find one in your house, make sure you can distinguish it from an ant. Workers, soldiers, and reproductive are the three termites found underground. The look of all of these groups is creamy white. The reproductive have wings, resembling flying ants.

The difference between reproductive termites and flying ants can be distinguished in a few ways. The wings, first. Termites have two wings, one in front and one behind them, just like flying ants.

The front wings of termites are equal in length, while the back wings of flying ants are large. Termites have straight antennae instead of curved ones and are thicker in the middle than flying ants.

Conclusion

When it’s time for a termite inspection, you’ll want to choose the best pest control service available. These firms will deliver the best inspection with their knowledge and well-educated technicians. Give your family or roommates enough notice of the upcoming examination.

Educate them on the safety guidelines they must follow while the inspection is in progress.

That is all there is to it. This is the process you can expect whether you do your own termite inspection or employ a professional pest treatment firm. No one wants their house to turn into an all-you-can-eat termite buffet, so take care to get it done either way.

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Author: Amanda Arnold

Amanda has been working with ConstructionHow since 2021. Her experience spans over 5 years in the creative niche such as home decor and trends, landscaping, renovations, and custom architectural values. As a home designer expert, she has a keen eye for the latest home improvement trends with accurate facts that readers find impossible to ignore. Being invested in home-building trends is how she has gained her lucrative expertise exploring more to bring a positive ambiance for all homeowners (and even tenants!). Currently, she lives in a beautiful beach home, a source of fascination for her.

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