by Scotty Mack

Created on: May 26, 2008

I am a termite inspector and inspect houses every day for possible termite activity. A good subterranean termite inspection should take forty-five minutes to an hour for an average sized home and is not all that difficult to perform. Keep in mind, however, that only 25-30% of a house can actually be examined. It is impossible to see under the flooring of a house to get a look at the slab and equally impossible to see inside of walls to see if your wall studs are being eaten. There are parts of the attic in many homes that are unreachable as well.

Fortunately, subterranean termites have fairly predictable behaviors, so the parts of a house that can be inspected are usually enough to tell if you have a termite problem or other issues which may be conducive to termite infestations. The only tools you will need to conduct an inspection are a flashlight and a screwdriver (a really long screwdriver will save wear and tear on your back).

Termites eat the wood from the inside, out and can enter a house through a crack as little as 1/64 of an inch. Whether your house is concrete block, brick or wood-framed, termites can enter it from the outer walls through tiny gaps that may emerge between the slab and the outer walls. Another major source of entry is the spaces that occur between the slab of the house and any attached slabs, such as porches, patios and pool decks. Begin on the inside of your house by tapping the baseboards around the perimeter of your house with the handle of a screwdriver. Typically, the very thin coat of paint on baseboards will not be eaten, hiding the damage that the termites have done to the wood. If termites have eaten the wood in the baseboard, it will be like hitting an eggshell; the baseboard will shatter.

When a house is built, the plumbing and electrical conduits for a house are placed before the slab is poured. As the concrete cools and hardens, it expands and creates small openings that subterranean termites can enter a house from. Because termites require moisture to survive, bathrooms and kitchens not only offer subterranean termites a way into a house, but the condensation on the pipes provides an excellent moisture source for them as well. This is why the majority of termite damage is found in bathrooms and kitchens. After the perimeter walls have been examined, tap all baseboards and wood around any slab penetrations made by plumbing or electrical conduits. Be sure to not only tap the baseboards inside of the bathrooms, but also the

• 1
• 2
• 3
• 4
• 5
• Next Page >>