Ready to Buy a Home? Here’s How to Spot Signs of Wood-Destroying Insects

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Termites and wood-destroying insects are one of the greatest threats to your home. It doesn’t take too long for these critters to do major damage to a home. And to add insult to injury, if you’ve found evidence of wood-destroying insects once, chances are you’ll find them again unless you correct the conditions that brought them literally to your doorstep in the first place.

If you’re buying a home — especially if you’re a first-time homebuyer — it’s a good idea to know if there is a current or previous infestation, and whether the home has what we call “conducive conditions” for wood destroying insects. When you choose a home inspector, make sure you choose one that can perform a Wood Destroying Insect Inspection.

Here are some examples of current and previous infestations:

Termite Tunneling

Signs of infestation can be found inside or outside the house. Here, you can see the telltale tubes or tunnels that termites build between the ground and a food source. The tunnels protect them from predators and the elements. Termites need to stay moist in order to survive.

Swarmers

Termite swarmers are the winged termites whose main role in life is reproduction. Emerging from the tubes built by worker termites, these pests will swarm to find suitable locations for their new colonies. Termite swarmers are an unwelcome sight for any property owner.

Carpenter Ants

Termites aren’t the only wood-destroying insect you have to worry about. These guys found a sneaky way to get to the house in this video.  “The ants go marching one by one, hurrah, hurrah.”  

Regular pest service will keep wood-destroying insects from doing too much damage to your home. If you’re purchasing a home that has a past or present infestation, talk to a pest control professional about what steps are needed.