Buying a house is a really exciting time, whether it’s your first home or your 100^th. But, before you can sign all the paperwork and call the place your own there are certain procedures and reports that need to be completed.

One of these is the termite inspection and you’ll need a local pest control service to undertake this survey for you.

If an issue is discovered, then the buyer, or the seller, will need to call the exterminators in before the sale can be completed.

What Termites Do

Termites are small ant-like creatures that serve an important role in nature. They eat dead and decaying wood, in the process, they create nutrition for plants and other living beings. However, sometimes termites eat wood that isn’t decaying; such as the wood in your home.

Of course, if they eat enough wood they can destroy the structural integrity of your home; potentially making it collapse.

Why An Inspection Is Necessary

That’s actually the reason why termite inspections are so important. Termites live inside the wood and eat it away from the inside out. This can make them hard to spot until a lot of damage has been done.  Of course, at that point, your home will be at risk.

A badly damaged house from termite infestation cannot be occupied, it may even have to be demolished. While your insurance should cover the cost of this your mortgage company will be worrying about whether they will get their funds back or not.

In fact, mortgage companies won’t generally release the funds for purchase until after the termite inspection has been completed.

There is also the issue regarding injury as a result of termite weakened wood. If you sell the house with termites in it you may find yourself liable for the subsequent claim, that’s not something you want hanging over your head!

Completing The Inspection

The good news is that the expert will only take between 30 and 60 minutes to complete the inspection. Every part of your home will be checked and a report repaired to confirm the current situation.

A good inspection will uphold your selling price but a bad one can reduce the value of your home or force you to fix the issue, potentially at a cost of hundreds or even thousands of dollars.

In fact, to save yourself the issue, if you already own your own home then you should have a termite pest control inspection carried out every year; then they’ll be no issue when it comes to an inspection during the sale process. You’ll also gain peace of mind by knowing that your home is not about to fall apart on you.

If you do have a bad inspection it is important to find out where the termites are and whether they appear to be active or just evidence that they have been there. You’ll need to follow up on the recommendations of the expert in order to ensure your home is safe and ready to sell.