Real Estate Termite Inspections

For information about when treatment should be recommended, see When is treatment recommended?

Termite Reports in St Louis Missouri and Illinois are inspections performed by an experienced termite inspector from a licensed pest control company. These termite reports are often required by lending institutions such as banks, mortgage companies, and refinance companies. A termite report is done on a standard NPMA-33 termite report form.

Advantage Pest Control Solutions offers VA, FHA, and conventional termite reports according to current NPMA standards. We'll do a thorough inspection for signs of wood destroying insects such as subterranean termites, carpenter ants, carpenter bees, and wood destroying beetles and provide recommendations for treatment. Even if you've already had a termite report done, our low cost wood destroying insect reports allow you to get a "second opinion" to ensure that the findings are accurate.

The termite inspector will provide a detailed written report or certification letter describing any signs of wood destroying insects and recommendations for treatment.

During a termite inspection report, a thorough inspection will be done of the foundation. This usually starts with a check of the outside foundation for termite shelter tubes or wood that may shows signs of termite infestation. The basement or crawlspace should be checked, examining the sill plate, band board, and floor joists for weak spots, termite damage, or termite shelter tubes. The other floors should also be checked for termite shelter tubes on baseboards, door and window frames, and walls.

Drywood termites can not survive in St Louis Missouri and Illinois. In states with drywood termite activity, a thorough drywood termite inspection should be done. Drywood termites don't require contact with the soil and can nest in wall studs, ceilings, furniture, and other wood.

The report will determine if there is visible evidence of a past or present wood destroying insect infestation or if there is activity of wood destroying insects and recommend treatment for active infestations. The lending institution will usually require any recommended treatment be done before they will loan the money. Types of termite treatment may include conventional liquid soil treatment, termite bait and monitoring systems, and fumigation or "tenting"(drywood termites) generally by a professional pest control company.

A WDI report should indicate any visible evidence of wood destroying insect infestation such as subterranean or drywood termite damage, shelter tubes, live or dead insects, frass, bore holes, exit holes, nests or other evidence. The types of possible infestation will vary depending on what region you are in. Some wood destroying insects that could be found are Subterranean and drywood termites, carpenter ants, carpenter bees, wood boring beetles such as powder post beetles and old house borers. A professional termite inspector or pest inspector can identify signs of these wood damaging insects.

A termite report in Saint Louis Missouri and Illinois covers only readily accessible areas. Areas where evidence or damage is hidden are not included in the report and inaccessible areas should be described on the report. Inaccessible areas may include crawlspaces or parts of crawlspaces that may be too low for access, crawlspaces with no access point, blocked or sealed crawlspace and attic openings, areas behind fixed wall and ceiling coverings, and areas obscured by dense vegetation. If you are buying a property, you should consider being present when the termite report is being done, and make sure that there is access to crawlspaces for inspection.

Homes bought with cash, at auction, or under other circumstances may not require a termite report, but in these cases either party may want to have an inspection done.

In most cases the buyer of the property is responsible for arranging the termite report, paying for the report, and choosing the inspecting company. Should treatment be needed it is generally the responsibility of the owner to arrange for treatment by the company of their choice and pay for treatment. Most pest control companies that do inspections will give a free estimate if treatment is needed.