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Termites & Pests
The one inspection which applies to almost every home sale and purchase is the "Termite" or "Pest" inspection and report. These are both misnomers but they're the two most common titles used for the "wood destroying pest and organisms inspection report" on the condition of the property as of the date it was inspected. During the inspection, the inspector looks for:
- Actual structural damage caused by moisture, or an infestation of fungus, termites, beetles or other wood destroying pests, and
- Conditions such as excessive moisture, inadequate ventilation, faulty grade levels or water leaks, which if left uncorrected, may eventually lead to infestation or structural damage.
Certain specific areas, unless excluded from the inspection or not accessible to the inspector, are inspected and outlined in the report:
- Substructure (the crawl space);
- Stall showers,
- Foundations,
- Porches and steps,
- Ventilation,
- Attic Spaces,
- Garages,
- Decks and Patios,
- Other-Interior and
- Other-Exterior.
A termite report IS NOT a complete physical and geological inspection of the property. There are many other professionals that may be consulted to do other inspections in order to ascertain a more complete picture of the property's condition. Do not look for the termite report to tell you about:
- Code compliance/violations (including building, zoning, fire, health and safety codes) unless it involves as pest control issue.
- Plumbing, sewer, septic soundness -- except for noticeable leaks.
- Heating, electrical, appliance, air conditioning, mechanical systems, pools, spa conditions
- Roof condition
- Soil condition
- Structural integrity beyond pest control concerns
- Environmental hazards
- Cosmetic repairs
- Window or glass conditions
The Inspector's Recommendations
Each finding listed in the report is followed by a recommendation from the inspector. The report will title each recommendation with one of 5 titles: Section I, Section II, Further Inspection, Information or Consult Other Trade.
- Section I means "Damage has occurred, corrective action is needed" -- there is evidence of active infestation or infection damage that has resulted in or from infestation or infection. Typically sellers are responsible for correcting these items.
- Section II means "Damage can be expected in the future, but with corrective action it can be prevented" -- there is a condition that is likely to lead to infestation or infection but no visible evidence was found as of the time of the report. Typically, buyers agree to assume responsibility for Section II repairs, although there is no requirement that these be completed within any particular time frame.
- Further Inspection means "there may be damage but it is not readily visible" -- To verify whether or not there is damage will require opening a wall, lifting a floor, moving the current occupant's personal belonging, etc. You can request that the further inspection be done, for an additional fee, and a supplemental report will be issued. Who pays for the further inspection is typically handled as follows: If no Section I damage is found, the buyer pays. If Section I damage is found, the seller pays for the inspection and for the repairs.
- Information -- the item is noted for your information only. These are typically reminders as to future preventative maintenance which you should take.
- Consult Other Trade or Another Craft -- this means that there was a problem noted, but it is beyond the scope of the inspector and so should be looked at by a specialized craftsperson.
Why is the pest report so important? Most lenders require you to show that the property has no Section I damage before they will agree to make a loan on the property. This is called "the clearance." If the inspector finds no Section I damage the report will include the statement that "this property is clear of . . ." If the inspector does find Section I damage, the repairs are made, the inspector comes out again to verify the repairs and then issues a report which says there is no damage. This report is called the "clearance."
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