TERMITE INSPECTIONS

Termite inspections are also called wood destroying insect inspections or just WDI inspections. Whatever you want to call it, a WDI inspection includes a visual inspection of a home to determine past or active infestations of the following:

Carpenter Ants Furniture Beetles Death-watch Beetles

Carpenter Bees Ivory-marked longhorn Beetle Bostrichid Beetles

Old House Borers Powder-Post Beetles Bamboo Powder-Post Beetles

Red Oak Borers Metallic wood-boring Beetles Bark Beetles

Flat-headed Borers Cottonwood Borer Beetles Stout’s Borer Beetles

Subterranean Termites Drywood Termites Formosan Termites

Rotten Wood Termites

As you can see, there are quite a few insects that cause structural damage to homes.

There are conditions that attract these insects and are called conducive conditions. These conducive conditions are inspected and identified. In the report generated. Conducive conditions include:

Wooden fence posts in contact with structure Footing too low or soil too high

Planter box abutting structure Debris under or around structure

Insufficient ventilation Wood to ground contact

Wood pile in contact with structure Form boards (foundation) left in place

Wood rot Excessive moisture

Heavy foliage

Determining if you have an issue with any wood destroying insects takes time and knowledge of each type of insect. Each has their own set of signs to indicate a past or current infestation and also if there was a past treatment or not.

What is inspected during a WDI inspection? Mainly, the exterior of your home is inspected for insects. The attic, crawl spaces, plumbing traps and the exterior walls inside your home are usually inspected for signs of insects and/or damage. Pests that do not cause structural damage are not included in a WDI inspection.

Are all termite inspectors the same? The short answer is no. Many companies use termite technicians to perform WDI inspections. All technicians are required to work under the supervision of a Commercial Applicator. Monroe Inspections LLC uses only Certified Applicators to perform Termite Inspections. This way, you have a knowledgeable, experienced inspector analyzing your home for any possible infestation. Since we only perform inspections, we will not “always find an infestation” so we can perform a termite treatment, costing over a thousand dollars. We have no affiliation with and treatment companies and receive any kick-backs for providing business to these companies. You receive a completely unbiased third-party report of the current condition of your home. We also use technology to supplement our observations with the use of humidity meters, moisture meters, temperature meters, and infrared cameras. These tools aid our identification of trouble areas so that you know more about your home. Do not settle for a termite technician. Get the best.

What should I expect with a termite inspection? Normally, a contract is provided that explains the scope of what is and is not provided during an inspection. Once signed, a state sponsored consumer information sheet is provided to the client and the inspector begins their inspection. Wood Destroying Insect reports are usually provided to our clients within 24 hours of the inspection.

Why hire us? First we take the time needed to inspect it right the first time, We do not rush through inspections to get to the next one. I am a professional, licensed by the state of Texas as a Professional Inspector. This statement alone says that the level of knowledge is much greater than a Real Estate Inspector. A Real Estate Inspector requires about 90 hours of training to obtain a license. I was required to have about 360 hours. Back in the late 70's, I was on various construction crews that installed roofing, siding, insulation, additions, electrical wiring, installed doors/windows and much more. I have never put the hammer down since. This is over 40 years of actually doing the job, not just studying it. Monroe Inspections LLC. Inspected right the first time, every time!

For more information on structural pest control service: Texas Department of Agriculture

For more information on structural pests: Texas A&M Agrilife Extension