Investigate Pest Inspection Nuances Prior to Hiring

Arranging for a pest inspection is at first blush a straightforward endeavor, but there are nuances one should understand beforehand. Investigating these pest inspection nuances can make the difference between ending up with a money pit and steering clear of buying one. There are both experiential and historical reasons for the broad disparities in pest inspector expertise. Herein, we will examine the nuances of this service that falls in between the seams, if you will, and we will show what investigative steps one should take prior to hiring an inspector.

Traditionally, pest inspection service has been a sphere of operation belonging to pest control operators and exterminators. Their primary focus is to sell pest treatments, and they commonly offer inspections free of charge as a sales inducement. But, on the side, they performed residential inspections of property on the market, an end in itself. So long as they were paid, they were happy to let the agent dictate what to put in the report, and they incurred minimal liability for doing so.

As home inspection service came into its own, the desire was to have these professionals do the inspecting for pests rather than to pay two separate fees. The problem was that most home inspectors didn't know enough biology to do an adequate job. Because wood-destroying organisms, including termites and carpenter ants, are capable of inflicting significant damage to structures, costing thousands of dollars to repair in some cases, regulation clearly needed to be strengthened. The Washington State legislature passed laws that imposed stricter requirements on getting a pest inspection license. The result is that both home inspectors and pest control operators still conduct pest inspections; however, there are clear delineations between their separate liabilities and responsibilities.

Home inspectors in Washington State now have the choice of not getting a pest inspection license. Few make this choice in that it would cripple the set of services they could offer. Nevertheless, obtaining both licenses involves meeting two distinct and rigorous requirement sets established by two distinct governmental agencies.

The state Department of Agriculture, which issues the pest inspection license, requires proof that the inspector understands biological fundamentals. The pertinent insects and organisms to know are two species of termites, three or more species of ants, several beetles, and fungi. Inspectors must be able to identify insects from their appearance, the evidence they leave behind, the way they damage wood, and the habitats they construct. They need to be familiar with appropriate treatments and whether potential colonies outside the home (in the case of carpenter ants) have to be sought out and eliminated as well as infestations inside the home.

Home inspectors without the pest inspection license have to restrict their findings to conditions that are conducive to invasion of wood-destroying organisms. Even if they spot the presence of pests or evidence of their infestation or damage, they cannot identify them. Those with the pest license must report all such evidence, including diagramming where in the house each incident occurs. This report and diagram provides the client with a detailed representation of the problems and helps the pest control operator who is called in to fix things to do his job.

Before hiring someone, the customer should seek out a person who not only can conduct a home inspection, but who also has the expertise to inspect for pests. The value of this expertise cannot be overstated. Don't go without the pest part, and don't go to the trouble and expense of hiring two separate individuals. The combined expertise in one person results in better insight into how defects might interact and a more informed perspective of overall house conditions.