What does a termite inspection actually cover?
The short answer
It is a visual, non-invasive inspection of the accessible parts of the structure: the perimeter, the crawl space or basement, the accessible framing, and the conditions that attract termites. Anything behind a wall lining, under a floor covering, or in a space the inspector could not physically enter is outside it, and the report should say so.
What the inspector is looking for
- Mud tubes on foundations, piers, joists and inside crawl spaces.
- Damaged or hollow-sounding timber, and blistered paint or rippled surfaces over affected wood.
- Discarded wings and swarmers around windows and light fittings.
- Conducive conditions: wood-to-soil contact, moisture, poor drainage, mulch against siding, debris under the building.
The limitations are the important part
Read that section first. An inspection that could not enter the crawl space, or where a finished basement or stored belongings blocked access, has a much narrower finding than one that reached everything — and the report will say which. Clearing access before the visit measurably improves what you get for the money.
Ask for photographs of anything found, and for the conducive conditions to be listed even where no termites were found. That list is the cheapest preventive advice in this trade, and it is usually free with the inspection.
Also asked
- How often should a house be inspected for termites?
- Annually is the common professional recommendation, and more often in high-pressure regions. What makes it worth doing is that the damage is invisible until it is significant, and the inspection costs a small fraction of the repair.
Companies whose reviewers name termites
3,152 pest control businesses in the United States and Canada have reviewers who write about termites. Every listing shows the full rating distribution rather than the average, the share that is one or two star, and whether the owner replies.
Read next
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- Does mulch attract termites?Mulch holds moisture against the building, and moisture is what termites need. The material matters far less t…
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General information about pest problems and about hiring, not advice about your specific property. Pest control licensing, wildlife protection and landlord and tenant law are all set state by state and province by province across the United States and Canada, so your own regulator is the current answer. How we read the data.