WDO Inspections
Termite Inspections
Insects And Fungi Can Do Serious Damage
WDO, or Wood Destroying Organisms, can cause serious, unseen damage over a period of years. You may not ever be aware that this could be a problem in your home.
Termites Aren't The Only Problem
You’re probably familiar with the problems that termites can cause, did you know that there are many more insects that can destroy the framing of a house? Termites are well-known, but carpenter ants, wood boring (powderpost) beetles, carpenter bees, and other insects can also cause damage. This is a photo of carpenter ant damage that was uncovered during a renovation. This was previously a 4″ x 4″ support post, and is now very expensive paper. This is an example of the unseen damage these insects can do to the wooden structure of a house
Most often, this damage can’t be seen or noticed, and it will cause sometimes catastrophic damage to a home. We can’t take your siding off to check for these issues, but we are trained and certified to see the visible signs of wood destroying insects, and can inspect your home for this type of infestation.
Wood Destroying Organisms Can Do A Lot of Damage
Termite/WDO inspections are required for VA or FHA mortgages as well as other loans from many financial institutions, and there’s very good reason for that. Termite damage each year is estimated at around $5 billion in the U.S. Repairs after a termite infestation average around $3,000, but can be much higher depending on the damage and what part of the home was infested.
This home was damaged by water entering the structure from the adjacent roof, which attracted a severe infestation of carpenter ants in the exterior sheathing. Destruction like this can’t usually be detected unless the siding and house wrap is removed, but it shows you just how badly these types of insects can damage your home.
Fungi Can Also Destroy Wood
Fungi found on wood are not always wood-consuming, but should be taken seriously. Some types of wood-destroying fungi are dry rot, brown rot, and white rot. They feed on moist wood, and eventually destroy it. White patches may appear on the structure in your crawlspace; while it appears harmless, it is anything but. Wood-destroying fungi can be treated, but they can cause a lot of damage to the wooden structure of a home first. We’re trained and certified to recognize these types of harmful fungi.
We Can Inspect the House for VA and Other Loans
A trained and certified inspector is needed because wood destroying organisms are difficult to detect. We are certified to perform WDO inspections, and are authorized to complete the NPMA-33 form required for some loans. NOTE: Your agent may insist that the inspector has to be a licensed pest control contractor, but that is not the case. We are certified and authorized to complete the NPMA-33 form required for some loans. Pennsylvania only gives licenses to certified pesticide applicators.
A WDO inspection is a visual inspection of the accessible components of the home including the exterior, crawlspace or basement, attic, etc. We’ll look for evidence of past or present infestation such as wood damage, living or dead termites or beetles, mud tubes, and other signs. We also look for moist conditions that may lead to infestation such as soil contact with wood, excessively moist components of the house standing water, and more.