You don't want your house or building to be a critter's habitat when you first move in, or even after you've been there for a while. A pest inspection is more specialised than a house inspection, which includes the overall systems and construction of a home. It's always a good idea, and depending on the type of mortgage you're receiving, it may even be needed.

Although pest inspection is not a commonly discussed topic, it is an important one that all home and building owners should be familiar with. Because pests can cause extensive damage to a property, it is crucial to get regular inspections to identify and address any potential issues before they become bigger problems. Depending on your location, the types of pests you may encounter will vary, so it is important to work with a qualified pest inspector who can help you protect your property.

Although the cost of a pest inspection may seem like an added expense, it can actually save you money in the long run by preventing costly damage caused by pests. So if you're wondering whether or not a pest inspection is necessary for your property, the answer is definitely yes! In this article, we are going to talk about the reasons why pest inspections are necessary and how a building inspector can help.

We will also tackle, one by one, some of the common household pests and how they damage your building. But before that, let's get some information about pest inspection.

What is Pest Inspection?

A pest inspection involves looking for bugs and other creatures that could damage your property's structure, provide a health risk, or both. Termites, which receive their nourishment from the wood in your house, are a typical structural concern, but other bugs and rodents can also cause problems.

A thorough pest inspection also includes a skilled and experienced pest inspector looking for evidence of termites, borers, wood deterioration, fungi, and mould both inside and outside your property. Your pest inspector will check for signs of previous pest activity as well as situations that could lead to future pest issues. In areas of concern, they may employ specialised gear like moisture meters, motion detectors, and thermal imaging cameras, but their most effective and potent pest-detecting tool is an experienced and practiced eye.

Types of Pests

Insects may be the first critters that come to mind when you think about house pests. After all, who wants ants or flies in their house? Termites, bedbugs, and cockroaches are among the most prevalent home insects. Although you may loathe spiders, they are not insects. Here are some pests you may encounter in your building or house.

Termites

Termites cause more property damage to homes and businesses than any other pest, costing homeowners about $5 billion in property damage each year. Ignoring termites is not an option because the situation will only get worse without proper termite treatment. Termites feed on wood 24 hours a day, so an infestation can swiftly escalate. Termites are often undetected until damage is visible, at which point it's too late. Termite management is so critical in maintaining your most important possession—your home.

Rodents

Rodents have been a problem for humans for almost as long as humans have existed. Because of their capacity to enter homes and structures through the tiniest of openings, they are known for infesting them. Rodents should be a source of concern for every property owner because of their ability to spread disease and their destructive eating habits. They carry a range of health problems, including mouse-related infections, parasites such as ticks or fleas, fire hazards caused by wire gnawing and fraying, and disease-carrying urine and faeces. They are much more than a bother because they can make people sick, so they should be removed as soon as possible. Mice can wreak havoc on a business's inventory, inflict property damage, and pose health hazards to everyone.

Ants

In quest of food, ants will travel long distances. They follow trails they've created and congregate around food sources, making them a nuisance in people's homes, organisations, and businesses. Although garden and black house ants are not known to spread diseases, you never know where they've been and don't want them marching through your pantry. On Earth, there are about 12,000 different ant species. Here are some of the most common species you will find on your property.

• Black House Ants (Ochetellus): Oil, grease, meat, fruits, vegetables, and sweets are all sources of food for these ants. They're frequently spotted in kitchens, especially on cluttered countertops and near garbage bins.

• Carpenter Ants (Camponotus): These are one of the most difficult ant species to eradicate. They frequently go along the exterior of a building's structural guidelines.

• Ghost Ants (Tapinoma Melanocephalum): They eat sweet and greasy things, and they build their nests in confined locations, such as wall gaps and flowerpots, because they are drawn to wet environments.

• Pavement Ants (Tetramorium Caespitum): They create mounds along sidewalks and driveways, as their name implies. They also build their nests in lawns, as well as under stones, timber, and boards.

• Red Imported Fire Ant (Solenopsis Invicta): In southern states, this type of ant is a nuisance. When their nest is disrupted, they will sting humans in great numbers.

Wasps

Humans seek a home that provides protection from the weather as well as sufficient living space. Wasps, on the other hand, aren't as picky. They'll build their nests almost anywhere, as long as there's a stable, horizontal platform to hang from. Wasps have the potential to do a lot of damage to your house. Wood wasps and horntail wasps are the two varieties of wasps that will inflict the most damage to your home. A wasp nest can rapidly become a nuisance as it grows in size and becomes damp. When the components in your ceiling become damp, they begin to disintegrate, allowing moisture to enter. If you wait long enough, your ceiling may eventually cave in, leaving a massive hole in your room.

Cockroaches

Cockroaches can not cause structural harm, although they can cause sanitation issues. If you have them, you may notice cockroach droppings around your home. They can be found in a pantry, along baseboards, and beneath sinks. The excrement resembles black pepper or coffee grounds. You might also come across their dead bodies or odd body parts. You should not disregard their existence because these pests can cause health issues for everybody in the house. You may notice a cockroach-like odour in addition to their droppings or carcasses. They create an oily odour that is difficult to ignore around their nest and travel regions. Even after you've gotten rid of your roach problem, the odour can remain for a long time.

The Process of Pest Inspection

If you are having trouble with some of the pests mentioned above, it is time to call your pest inspection service. Most building inspection companies offer a wide range of pest inspection services depending on the types of pests you have. They also have some ways to get rid of those. Here are the general steps for pest inspection used by many companies.

First, they will schedule a thorough inspection of your property to identify any potential entry points, food, and water supplies, or harborage zones that can foster pest problems in areas where pests are most likely to arrive—receiving docks, storage spaces, employee break rooms, sites of recent ingredient spills, etc. Second, they will take some preventive measures. Exclusion, or making structural repairs to shut down potential entry sites discovered during an examination, is one of the most effective preventative techniques.

The next step is identification, which begins with the proper identification of the pest in question. Pests can be eradicated more quickly and with less danger of harming other organisms if the troublesome species can be identified. After identifying the pest, it is time for analysis. This is to determine why the pest has entered your premises. Next is the treatment. Depending on what pest they need to eradicate, they have some chemical or non-chemical treatments.

Then, monitoring your facility for pest activity and making facility and operational modifications on a regular basis can help prevent infestations and eliminate current ones. The last step is documentation. Scope of service, pest activity reports, service reports, corrective action reports, trap layout maps, lists of approved chemicals, pesticide usage data, and applicator licences are all included.

A pest inspection is an important step in the property buying process, even if it's a building or a house. It can help you identify potential problems with the property and ensure that you are not buying a property that is infested with pests. If you are considering buying a home, follow this blog to learn more about pest inspection and its importance. And, be sure to leave a comment with your own thoughts on pest inspection.