Creating Termite Reports My last post discussed the Field Worksheet. That’s what a termite inspector creates during a termite inspection. It is often a crude diagram filled with codes and markings that would make little to zero sense to a homeowner. The California Structural Pest Control Board, the governing body of the pest control industry,
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The Field Worksheet The graph produced by the termite inspector during a termite inspection becomes the foundation of the official termite report. When the graph is drawn by hand, it is created on a field worksheet. The field worksheet consists of two pages. The first page contains spaces for the customer’s name, address, phone number,
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Termite Reports You think you have termites. You schedule an inspection with a local termite company. The inspector arrives carrying a clipboard or a tablet. There’s a greeting, maybe some back-and-forth about your house and its termite history. You show the inspector what’s going on and explain why you called. Then the inspector gets quiet,
Attic Adventures Many homeowners seem to feel sorry for me when I need to inspect their attic. They’ll say things like, “I bet it’s going to be hot up there,” or “You must hate this part of your job.” But truthfully, I don’t mind attics at all. I definitely prefer them over crawl spaces—and even
Hidden Attics I was recently conducting a termite inspection in Carlsbad. Before I begin any inspection, I ask the homeowner a few questions: What are you seeing? How long have you lived here? Was the home tented before you moved in? Have you experienced any termite swarms? And how do you feel about fumigation? If
What Lies Beneath? Last week we inspected attics. Inspecting Crawl Spaces I can’t imagine that anyone actually enjoys inspecting—or spending time in—a crawl space. Sure, there are crawl spaces that feel more like basements, where you can stand up and walk around, but those are few and far between. Most crawl spaces in California have
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Inspecting an Attic for Termites Last week, we inspected the outside of the house. This week, attics. Maybe there’s something wrong with me, but I like inspecting attics. Sure, they’re dark, dirty, and full of hazards—but they’re never the same, and they’re a crucial part of a complete termite inspection. I compare inspecting an attic
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Inspecting a Home’s Exterior for Termites I typically begin a termite inspection on the exterior of the home. The exception is when it’s raining and I don’t want to track mud inside—in that case, I’ll start in the attic. Most of the time, though, the inspection begins with diagramming the house. Creating a diagram is
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Fences and Termites Fences are not considered part of a structure and are often excluded from termite inspections. Most termite reports include a note or disclosure stating this limitation. In escrow inspections, only gates that are physically attached to the home are included; perimeter fencing is not. While fences are frequently ignored, they can be
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The Choice Is Yours Every time I show up for a termite inspection, I ask the homeowner how they feel about fumigation. I ask because it matters. If someone is completely against tenting, I need to be extra diligent about finding every area of termite activity and figuring out how to address less accessible spots
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