WDO Inspection Company

What Is A WDO Inspection?

A WDO, or termite, real estate inspection is a Wood Destroying Organism Inspection. This inspection is also known by other names, such as a Real-estate inspection, clear-to-close inspection, or just a termite inspection. A WDO inspection is typically required by a financial institution when a potential home buyer looks to take out a mortgage on a home they may buy. A current homeowner may want to refinance their home to get a better interest rate. I have also seen many times that existing homeowners have a WDO inspection to see what their home may have in the way of Wood Destroying Organisms. The inspection ensures that the house does not contain abundant Wood Destroying Organisms or damage. It allows them to require treatments or the opportunity to have the repairs done before they invest in the property to be mortgaged. For the sake of the home's potential purchaser, The WDO inspection serves as a tool to see what extent to Wood Destroying Organisms may be "VISIBLY" seen by the licensed inspector. For an in-depth explanation of "What is a WDO Inspection ?" please read our blog post devoted to that topic.

What Do You Look For During A WDO Inspection?

In Florida, there are five wood-destroying organisms recognized by the state. They are as follows:

Subterranean Termites are the most common termite found in North America. These termites are the most economically significant wood-destroying insects in the United States and are classified as pests. They feed on cellulose materials such as structural wood in buildings, wooden fixtures, paper, books, and cotton. A mature colony can range from 20,000 workers to as high as 5 million workers, and the primary queen of the colony lays 5,000 to 10,000 eggs per year to add to this total)

Drywood Termites are social insects that live in sound, dry wood colonies. Each colony consists of offspring from an original pair (male and female). There are three growth stages – eggs, immature, and adults. Drywood termites are more prominent than local, southwestern subterranean species).

Old House Borers (Hylotrupes) are a monotypic genus of wood-boring beetles in Cerambycidae's family, the longhorn beetles. The only species, Hylotrupes bajulus, is known by several names, including house longhorn beetle, old house borer, and European house borer. Originating in Europe and being spread in timber and wood products, the beetle now has a cosmopolitan distribution, including Southern Africa, Asia, the Americas, Australia, Europe, and the Mediterranean).

Powder Post Beetles (is a group of seventy wood-boring beetles classified in the insect subfamily Lyctinae. Spider beetles, deathwatch beetles, common furniture beetles, skin beetles, and others make up the superfamily Bostrichoidea. While most wood borers have a large prothorax, powder-post beetles do not, making their heads more visible. In addition to this, their antennae have two-jointed clubs. They are considered pests and attack deciduous trees, reducing the wood to powdery dust over time. The damage caused by longhorn beetles (family Cerambycidae) is often confused with powder-post beetles, but the two groups are unrelated. Their larvae are white and C-shaped.

Wood Decaying Fungus (is a variety of fungus that digests moist wood, causing it to rot. Some wood-decay fungi attack dead wood, such as brown rot, and some, such as Armillaria (honey fungus), are parasitic and colonize living trees. Fungi that not only grow on wood but cause it to decay are called lignicolous fungi. Various lignicolous fungi consume wood in multiple ways; for example, some attack the carbohydrates in wood, while others decompose lignin. Empirical models can estimate the decay rate of wooden materials in various climates.

How Is A WDO Inspection Performed?

Your Imperial Pest Prevention WDO termite inspector is a licensed professional through the State of Florida. A proper WDO termite inspection consists of several steps, which may not necessarily occur in any order:

EXTERIOR INSPECTION: Your qualified Imperial Pest Prevention WDO termite inspector will look for signs of termite activity (such as termite shelter/mud tubes, as well as conditions that could be conducive to termite and other WDO infestation (such as earth-to-wood contact, stucco siding below grade/ improper grading, leaky gutters or downspouts, or tree branches overhanging or touching the home). The inspector will also look for evidence of infestation by other wood-destroying insects and moisture areas. It is important to remember that a WDO termite inspection is a visual inspection only. It is not guaranteed that wood-destroying organisms are not present, and possible hidden damage can be present and unseen.

INTERIOR INSPECTION: Special emphasis on baseboards, exposed drywall exit holes, the garage, door, and window frames, and other areas prone to host wood-destroying organisms. This part of the termite inspection will be visual and physical and typically involves visually inspecting, tapping, probing, and sounding susceptible wood. It is important to note that only a WDO termite inspection is visual. It may be possible that hidden damage can be underlying in hidden locations and unseen.

ATTIC AND CRAWL SPACE INSPECTION: Attic and crawl spaces will be inspected if there is acceptable clearance. There are always locations not able to be seen or physically inspected. Inspecting the attics and crawl space areas will check for all Wood Destroying Organisms in the attic trusses, roof sheathing, and framing. It will consist of floor joists, sills, and sub-flooring locations in crawl spaces. It is imperative to know that a WDO inspection is a visual inspection only of what is available to see, and possible hidden damage may be present and unseen.

The termite inspector will also be looking for obvious live termites or other insects, dead termite bodies or wings, and other evidence of infestation such as mud tubes, frass/ pellets, signs of prior treatments, and damaged wood, as well as conditions conducive to infestation (such as excessive moisture levels). A detailed digital report and graph with the inspection summary and findings will then be completed and emailed in a PDF format. The report includes a standardized inspection form regulated by the State of Florida. Remember that a WDO inspection is a visual inspection only and does not guarantee that wood-destroying organisms are not present. Possible hidden damage can be present and unseen. A proper termite treatment such as Imperial Pest Prevention provides is the only haven to know your property, and its hidden areas are protected. Remember, a termite treatment works for your property 365 days, 24 hours a day. If termites are found during your inspection, termite treatments can be as simple as a termite spot treatment and as severe as requiring tent fumigation. We recommend contacting us if you have any questions after receiving your inspection report. We are always here to help and answer any questions you may have regarding your WDO inspection.