Buying a house is one of the biggest investments you will ever make. Since you’re spending all that money, you have to make sure that you’re not getting a sour deal. Conduct a house inspection before making the purchase. Once you’ve confirmed that the house won’t need repairs, you need to do another inspection. The second examination will check if the house has any pest infestations. In some states, a pest inspection is mandatory before you close on a home. Some lenders may demand a pest inspection before they approve your mortgage.
Although most people don’t think about them, pest inspections are very important. Think of it this way, pests are living creatures that can multiply. Unlike structural repairs where you can postpone the project to a later date, pest infestations have to be fixed immediately. Pests are also harmful to human beings – they can cause diseases. Failure to act fast can lead to high medical costs and fumigation expenses.
Pest inspections will help you know if the house has a pest problem before making any purchase. Once you’ve confirmed it, you can take the necessary measures. Some of the common pests to look out for during inspection are termites, cockroaches, earwigs, fleas, rodents, and ticks. Pests like termites can damage the wooden beams in your house and cause structural problems. Interestingly, pests are good at hiding. You won’t see them during the open house. That’s why you should hire a professional to inspect for you.
The pest inspector will check the house and give you a report. The report will be a summary of pest situations. This information will help you assess the actual value of the house. If the property has pests, you are in a better position to negotiate and get a better deal for the house. If the seller does not want to lower the price of the pest-infested house, you can ask them to cater for the expense of getting rid of the pests.
Some benefits of a pest inspection include:
Discover Pest Hideouts
An inspection will help you discover pest hideouts. You can open the kitchen cabinets and see that everything is ‘fine’. However, when the pest inspector opens the same cabinet, they tell you that rats or cockroaches have been there. You ask why, and they show you the evidence you missed – it could be tiny bite marks or insect droppings.
Keep You and Loved Ones Safe
A pest inspection will ensure that you and your loved ones are safe. As we said earlier, pests are notorious for carrying diseases. For example, if you have ticks in the house, their bites can give you Lyme disease. When you detect pests early and get rid of them before they get out of hand, you protect your family from such diseases.
Identify Structural and Material Problems
A pest-inspection will also help you identify structural and material problems. To the naked eye, a freshly painted wall can look fine. However, during the inspection, you discover carpenter ants. These insects love to live inside walls. Also, they are attracted to moisture. Seeing them could mean that the walls are decaying from the inside. Wood is one of the most favorable materials for termites and powderpost beetles. They love creating their habitats in untreated wood. Check the side panels of your windows by tapping slightly. If it’s hollow, it means that termites are already in the house. That means that you may have to treat the wood or replace it if the damage is too serious.
Give Your Bargaining Power
A pest inspection will give you some bargaining power. If the house has a pest problem, you can ask the seller to lower the price since you’ll have to pay for the fumigation. It also gives you peace of mind – you don’t have to worry about your family’s health. You know that they’ll be safe because there are no harmful pests in the house. Finally, a pest inspection helps you identify underlying structural issues.
