Every homeowner deserves a peaceful and pest-free home. Pests creep into houses, causing emotional misery, health concerns, and damage. Pest inspections are one of the best ways to help keep homes safe and comfortable. In this blog, we will explore what pest inspections are. Also, what do they cover, and a lot more.
What Is A Pest Inspection
A pest inspection involves a trained professional thoroughly searching a property for any critters that could harm the structure or inhabitants. During an inspection, the inspector will inspect your home’s interior and exterior, looking for evidence of bugs, wood decay, and other hazards. A pest inspection mainly focuses on finding any unwanted creatures that may be lurking. They will likely lurk in the house’s basements, crawl spaces, garages, attics, and other entry points.
When Do You Need A Pest Inspection?
When you are buying a new home, there’s a lot to do. For this reason, it may be necessary to undergo a pest control inspection while buying a new home. However, you can get rid of all the stress by getting an inspection before moving in. Regardless of what a property owner personally prefers, there are some instances where you will require a pest inspection.
You might require an inspection before approving a loan, mortgage lenders require a property to receive a pest control inspection. Whereas in most states, pest inspections are required to approve VA loans. Furthermore, if an appraiser notices signs of infestation during the home appraisal, they can require an inspection.
What Does A Pest Inspection Cover?
A thorough search for any infestations
A trained pest inspector will thoroughly inspect the interior and exterior of your home. They will look for all manner of critters that can be hazardous.
They will look for the signs of carpenter ants, spiders, rodents, scorpions, moths, and other wood-destroying insects.
Evidence of these critters can include damaged wood and small collections of insect droppings. You might also witness gnawing marks on the furniture.
An Evaluation Of Any Structural Damage
Insects and other pests can somehow get into your house. They do this by exploiting and/or causing structural damage to your home.
The inspector will search for signs of wood damage on walls, siding, baseboards, and floorboards.
You may fix the structural damage after rooting out the pests from their hiding place.
A Detailed Pest Report
After conducting an inspection, the inspector will generate a detailed pest report. Inspectors usually give this to the appraiser or homebuyer.
Different states use different forms of inspection. Furthermore, they also look for pests based on the climate. But even then, they share some common elements.
Each inspection form will give a short overview of the pests found.
They’ll also discuss where they find those and the damage they imposed.
Finally, they’ll go over the necessary treatments.
Instructions For Treatment And Damage Repair
After the inspection, you must treat any damage caused by the infestation. Make sure that you satisfy the inspector with these repairs. This is especially true when the inspector or appraiser previously identified the problem.
Treating the issues eventually helps in loan approval by the appraiser.
A simple one-time visit from an exterminator can be an effective way of treating the issue. In case of more intense structural damage, you shall move forward with a longer treatment plan.
Regardless, they’ll do another inspection to verify that you fixed the problem.
Benefits Of A Pest Inspection
Pest Prevention
Routine pest inspections aim to identify pest issues early before they become serious.
You shall not be calm if you don’t see apparent signs of pests. They might be hiding and beginning to develop where you least expect them. Such pests include spiders, cockroaches, termites, bed bugs, and rodents.
Pests are also multiplying at an alarming rate. In a few months, a colony of seven rodents may grow to a population size of almost seventy.
Routine pest inspections make it easier to detect a pest issue early on.
Taking immediate action will help stop the infestation from getting out of control and harming the occupants later.
Ensure Health and Safety
Pest infestations in the house pose a serious health and safety risk often overlooked. The urine and feces of pests may transmit illness. This might also impact your family’s health.
Rats can also gnaw electrical wires, which could start house fires.
Your house might also end up being structurally damaged due to termite infestations. This can increase the danger of injury to your household.
Many pests can also trigger allergies and itchiness in people, such as mosquitoes, mites, cockroaches, and bed bugs.
Keep Food Safe
Pest management is a must when you are handling food.
Pests can impose serious risks, like:
- Pests that feed on food scraps, including cockroaches and mice, are common in businesses and homes.
- Ants could also feed on your favorite treats if you don’t keep an eye out for them.
- Furthermore, you might develop unhealthy garden crops because of numerous bugs like aphids.
You risk contracting illnesses if you accidentally consume food that pests have infected.
Numerous pests like the ones listed above can taint or transmit illnesses to your food if they continue to feed on them.
A routine inspection is the most convenient method to ensure your food is pests-free.
Financial Protection
Due to the costs of eradication and repairs, having a pest problem could place you in a difficult financial situation.
Unfortunately, it is possible that your home insurance policy doesn’t cover pest-related damage or repairs.
The insurance provider considers the maintenance problem if you have a pest infestation. And as a property owner, it’s under your control.
When pests cause damage, you might also get a financial hit since you’ll pay for everything out of pocket.
You may avoid this with regular pest inspections.
Besides keeping pests out, pest inspections give you financial protection, too. They reduce the likelihood of higher-than-expected expenses due to pest infestations.
Guard Your Home Against Pest Infestations
Home pest inspection is a crucial aspect of responsible homeownership. You can ensure a pest-free environment for your family by understanding what these inspections cover and the role of professionals.
Termite pest inspections, in particular, play a vital role in protecting your property from damaging termite infestations.
Regular inspections and proactive pest management measures will help you maintain your home’s comfort, value, and safety.
Choose RJ Home Inspections for a Pest-Free, Safe, and Valuable Home. Schedule Your Inspection Today and Protect Your Peace of Mind!