Termite Inspection
Two kinds of termite inspection matter: the one you do yourself every spring, and the one a licensed inspector writes up when a house is bought or sold.
Your own inspection
A homeowner with a good flashlight and a screwdriver can find most termite problems early. It takes about an hour, and spring, when termites swarm, is the best time to do it. The step-by-step version is in how to inspect your house for termites.
The professional one
A professional inspection does two jobs. It confirms what you found and maps where termites are getting in, which is what a treatment quote should be based on. And when a house is sold, it produces a wood-destroying insect report on a standard form, which lenders and buyers rely on.
If you're buying, read should you buy a house with termite damage before you sign anything.
Guides in this section
-
Are Free Termite Inspections Really Free?
A free termite inspection is real: someone comes out, looks around and doesn't send a bill. It's also a sales appointment. Both things are …
-
How Often Should You Get a Termite Inspection?
Termites are slow, quiet and hidden, which is exactly why the inspection schedule matters more than any single treatment. The short answer …
-
Section 1 vs Section 2 Termite Report (California)
A California termite report sorts every finding into one of three buckets, and the bucket decides how worried you should be. Here's what th…
-
Termite Detection Tools: Moisture Meters, Thermal Cameras, Radar
A thermal camera looks like magic in an ad. In a wall full of drywood termites, it mostly sees a wall. Here's what each detection gadget ac…
-
Termite Inspection When Buying a House: A Buyer's Guide
In a home purchase, the termite inspection has a clock on it. Order it too late and you lose your leverage; read it too fast and you miss t…
-
Termite Sniffing Dogs: Do They Work?
A dog can smell termites through drywall that an inspector's flashlight can't see past. That's the pitch, and research says it holds up bet…
-
What Is a Termite Letter?
"We just need the termite letter" is one of the most common lines in a home closing, and one of the least precise. There's no single docume…
-
What Termite Inspectors Look For (and Miss)
A termite inspection looks simple from the outside: someone with a flashlight walks around your house for an hour. State rules spell out a …
-
Florida WDO Inspection and the FDACS-13645 Form
In a Florida home sale, the termite report is a two-page state form with a number on it: FDACS-13645. It covers more than termites, and its…
-
How to Inspect Your House for Termites, Room by Room
An hour, a good flashlight and a screwdriver. Here's where to look, what each clue means, and when to stop poking around and call someone.
-
Should You Buy a House With Termite Damage?
Termite damage in an inspection report sounds terrifying. Often it isn't. Here's how to tell a fixable problem from a money pit, and how to…
-
Termite Inspection Cost and What You Get
A termite inspection can cost nothing or a couple of hundred dollars, and the difference usually isn't the inspector. It's what you're aski…
-
WDI Inspection: The Termite Report in a Home Sale
The termite report in a home sale is one page, a few checkboxes and a signature. It carries more weight than it looks, and promises less th…
Questions people ask
How often should I get a termite inspection?
In the termite-heavy South and West, once a year is a good rule. In lower-risk areas, inspect yourself every spring and bring in a professional when you buy a house or find a clue.
Is a termite inspection required to buy a house?
It depends on your loan and your state. FHA requires one in some situations, VA loans require one in most termite-heavy states, and many buyers order one regardless.