Wood Destroying Insects & Pest Inspections

Should you have a Wood Destroying Insect (WDI) inspection completed when you purchase a home?

The short answer is yes. But why? To undestand the why, we need to look at what a pest inspection is. A pest inspection includes a search for bugs and other creatures that can cause damage to the structure of your property, a health hazard or both. One common structural concern is caused by termites that get their nutrients from the wood in your house, but various other bugs and rodents can also cause concerns. A pest inspection usually takes place around the same time as a home inspection or appraisal. In fact, one of the instances it might be required is when an appraiser observes signs of a potential pest problem. However, as a homeowner, you can have a pest inspection done whenever you’re worried you might have an issue. Typically, pest inspection and mitigation services are provided by the same types of companies that do extermination. If you suspect a problem and you can visually see where it’s coming from, it may be possible to do some DIY inspection and mitigation. However, this is something that’s often best left to pros. If required to get an inspection for your mortgage, a professional will be required. With limited exceptions for certain states and counties within states, you usually need a pest inspection if you’re getting a Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) loan. AMAC Inspections offers VA Pest Inspection. Should you get a Pest Inspection? A pest inspection will help ensure that no undesirable creepy crawly has made your home their own. This relatively cheap inspection can be necessary to get a mortgage in some cases and it’s also there to give you reassurance that the home you’re living in is safe and sanitary. We hope you learned a little bit more about pest inspections. A pest inspection and a general home inspection are always important, but they can be particularly necessary when you’re buying a house that’s sold as-is. Ask your lender during the mortgage preapproval process if a pest inspection is required in your state. We hope you learned a little bit more about pest inspections. A pest inspection and a general home inspection are always important, but they can be particularly necessary when you’re buying a house that’s sold as-is. How Long does the Inspection Take? When completed with a General Home Inspection there is a minimal change in the time frame. As a stand alone inspection, these can last up to and sometimes an hour or more. Most pest inspections usually take between 30 minutes to an hour to complete. However, the actual length could be longer depending on a variety of factors, including what they have to look for, the square footage and the actual layout of the house. For example, if you have a crawlspace or attic that is harder to access, that can take some additional time. The paperwork also has to be sent to your mortgage company and that might take a day or two to process. Beyond that, if damage repair or mitigation is required, it depends on how quickly you can get that scheduled. Once completed, another inspection to confirm damage repair and eradication of the problem is usually necessary. But the faster you get the damage repaired, the easier it can be.