Pest Inspections

8    Things You Need to Know About Pest Inspections

1. WHY DO YOU NEED A PEST INSPECTION?  It can enable you to be aware of any existing damage or potential risk before buying a property.  Timber pests like termites can cause many thousandds of dollars worth of damage if not detected early and managed properly.

1. WHAT DO INSPECTORS LOOK FOR?  Evidence of past or present pest activity as well as signs of conditions that would be condusive to pest infestation, such as dampness, stored timber, food scraps, poor ventilation or gaps in roofs.

1. WHAT TYPE OF TERMITE DAMAGE MAY BE REVEALED?  This can include structural damage to floor bearers, floor joists, stumps, wall frames, and in extreme cases damage to a building's roof structure.

1. IS TERMITE DAMAGE REPAIRABLE?  It all depends on how advanced termite activity is.  The only real way to know this is by pulling apart or removing wall linings, plasterboard, skirting boards and architraves and exposing the structure.

1. IF TERMIES ARE FOUND, WHAT CAN BE DONE?  Chemical treatment is really the only option.  While earlier products were arsenic-based and highly toxic, recent years have seen the introduction of much safter termite treatment that are non-toxic to pest and children.

1. WHAT OTHER TYPES OF PESTS CAN AN INSPECTION IDENTIFY?  Woodborers, which can also cause structural damage over time, and also wood rot - an organism that can have a significant impact on structural and non-structural elements.

1. ARE ALL PEST INSPECTION COMPANIES THE SAME?  No.  Keep in mind that some pest inspection companies may not provide truly independent advice.