Termites do quiet damage. They move inside walls, under floors, through soil and foam and expansion joints, and most homeowners never see them until a door frame turns soft or a baseboard caves under a finger. I’ve inspected thousands of structures across climates and construction styles. The constant is this: a thorough termite inspection follows a disciplined path, uses simple tools well, and documents everything with the assumption that the house will change hands someday. Here is the checklist that seasoned inspectors rely on, including why each step matters, the judgment calls involved, and how a good pest control company translates findings into a workable plan.
What a termite inspection actually covers
A licensed pest control contractor looks for evidence of wood-destroying organisms, primarily subterranean termites and drywood termites. Depending on region, we also keep an eye out for carpenter ants, carpenter bees, powderpost beetles, and wood decay. That scope matters because insurance, real estate disclosures, and treatment options hinge on accurate identification. An inspection is not a replacement for a structural engineer’s evaluation, but it should flag any conditions that threaten the structure or that would complicate termite control services.
There are two halves to the job. The first is fieldwork: probing, tapping, crawling, and tracing lines through the property. The second is judgment: knowing which anomalies matter, how to confirm them, and what corrective work will eliminate the cause, not just the symptom.
Tools that earn their keep
Complex gadgets help, but the basic kit, used consistently, wins most days. I carry a bright flashlight with a tight beam, a flathead screwdriver for gentle probing, a moisture meter, a pinless density scanner for drywall and trim, mirrors, a headlamp, knee pads, and a camera or phone with good macro capability. On some jobs, I add a thermal camera and a fiber optic scope. Termite dogs and acoustic sensors have their role, but the best returns come from light, touch, and pattern recognition.
Moisture is the heartbeat of subterranean termite activity. The moisture meter tells you where to slow down. The screwdriver tells you whether wood fibers are sound or crushed into a gritty paper. Thermal cameras, used correctly, help identify damp zones behind finished surfaces, but they require context. A cold spot may be an air leak or a duct chase, not a leak or termite path. Trust your meter and your eyes first.
The exterior circuit: how to read the skin of a house
I start outside, going clockwise so I never lose track of what I’ve covered. The goal is to understand how soil, water, and wood meet.
I read the grade. Finish grade should slope away from the foundation, roughly six inches in the first ten feet. Flat or reversed grade invites moisture toward the slab or stem wall. I check for earth-to-wood contact: fence posts, lattice, deck stringers, or siding that touches soil. Termites love shortcuts, and soil-to-wood contact is a red carpet rolled directly to the structure. I look at the bottom edges of stucco or siding for a one to two inch clearance from soil. If the finish runs below grade, you lose visibility and increase risk.
Next, I study foundation lines for shelter tubes. Subterranean termites build pencil-thick mud tubes from soil to food. The tubes can be straight, lumpy, or multiple lines braided together, sometimes hidden behind planters and foam insulation. Wherever I see tubes, I follow them up. They can run behind stucco, through mortar joints, up inside hollow block, or along a slab edge into an expansion joint. I also check expansion joints in driveways and patios because termites use these covered corridors to reach the slab.
Decks, steps, and porches deserve their own pass. I probe rim joists, stair stringer ends, and the ledger board where it attaches to the house. Paint can hide soft wood, but a firm probe near fasteners and lower edges tells the truth. If the deck sits low with skirting or lattice, I peer under it with a mirror and light. I want to know whether piers are on concrete, whether there are shields, and whether the soil line has crept up around the supports.
I mark down utilities and penetrations. Where gas, water, and electrical lines penetrate the foundation, I look for shrunken sealant, gaps, and tubes. Any break in the envelope can be a route. I check hose bibs, AC condensate drains, and irrigation valves for leaks. Even a slow drip can maintain a damp zone that feeds a colony.
Perimeter vegetation matters more than many assume. Dense shrubs against walls trap humidity and hide tubes. Mulch piled deep against siding looks tidy but creates a moist buffer. I note termite-resistant borders when I see them, like pea gravel or pavers that allow inspection and airflow. I don’t dictate landscaping, but I do point out where style invites risk.
Another exterior tell: the age and continuity of prior treatments. I look for old drill plugs in slabs along the foundation, in garage floors, and at sidewalks. That history shapes our treatment plan. A series of plugs at two foot intervals signals a prior liquid barrier. Scattered plugs at corners only may be for ants, not termites. I photo and sketch those lines because future owners will ask.
The garage and slab edges
Garages often tell the story first. They have exposed framing, expansion joints, and storage that blocks airflow. I check baseboards, sill plates, and the intersection of the drywall and slab. Mud tubes frequently rise in the corner behind paint buckets. I probe or gently pull at damaged baseboard ends, especially where they meet low shelving. If I find self-leveling compound at the slab edge or recent patching at cold joints, I slow down and look for fresh tubes or granulated frass along the patch line.
On slab-on-grade houses, I spend time at the edge where the floor meets walls. Termites travel up through cracks and plumbing penetrations concealed by carpet tack strip or trim. In occupied homes, courtesy and caution matter. I ask permission before lifting any edge or moving storage. A professional pest control service sets expectations and returns with access if needed rather than forcing things and upsetting clients.
Crawlspace realities
Crawlspaces are where you earn your fee. I suit up with a respirator when rodent droppings or moldy insulation are present. I prefer long, slow sweeps across the beams, joists, and subfloor with the headlamp on low to reduce glare. I’m looking for a few key patterns: mud tubes rising from piers or soil to sill plates, fungal growth on joists that marks chronic humidity, and sag or deflection that suggests structural compromise. I pay special attention to plumbing lines and the bottoms of bathroom and kitchen areas. Subterranean termites often follow plumbing trenches from outside to inside, then wander up through pipe penetrations.
Insulation can hide work. If the crawlspace has old batt insulation on the rim joist, I carefully peel a corner back to inspect the ledger area. I also examine vapor barriers. A loose or torn vapor barrier allows moisture to condense on wood. In some markets, I check for termite shields on piers. They do not stop termites, but they force them to build visible tubes around the shield, which is the early warning we want.
When the crawlspace has limited clearance, I use a mirror and camera on a pole. The goal is coverage. If I cannot safely access a zone, I mark it as limited access in the report and explain why. That isn’t a dodge. It is transparency that protects everyone and may prompt the owner to arrange access or partial demolition of skirting if risk is high.
Attics and upper floors
Drywood termites, common in warm, coastal, and arid zones, can be active in attics. I look for pellets, often called frass, that resemble fine, six-sided grains in small piles on insulation, rafters, or the tops of water heaters. Drywood frass colors vary with the wood consumed, from tan to coffee brown. Kick-out holes are tiny, clean openings on the surface of wood or drywall. I use a flashlight at a shallow angle to catch their shadows.
I tap exposed rafters and trusses, listening for hollow tones. A screwdriver probe in a suspect area tells me more. If I find pellets on insulation with no visible source, I trace directly above that spot in the roof deck and framing. Pellets roll downhill, so the deposit may not be exactly under the source. I also check around skylight wells, chimneys, and any roof penetrations.
In finished areas, unexplained bubbling paint on baseboards or window trim, especially with tiny pinholes, gets special attention. Termites can create localized moisture that blisters paint. I triangulate with the moisture meter and a density scanner. If drywall scanning shows an anomaly in a small zone, I discuss exploratory drilling with the client. A 3/16 inch hole behind baseboard to scope a void can save a wall later.
Evidence that carries weight
You can chase ghosts if you don’t define what evidence counts. Good inspectors sort findings into active, old, and conducive.
Active subterranean termite evidence includes wet or supple mud tubes with fresh coloration, live termites or soldiers in a tube or under a probe, and damp, recently damaged wood where galleries have ragged edges and visible fecal smearing. For drywood termites, live insects in galleries, fresh pellets that feel crisp and uniform, and new kick-out holes with clean lips are indicators.
Old evidence includes brittle, broken tubes that crumble into dust, dry galleries with smooth, dusty interior surfaces, and pellets that look weathered or clumped. Old does not mean safe, but it changes the urgency and the likely treatment.
Conducive conditions are the driver. These include high wood moisture content above 20 percent, plumbing leaks, poor ventilation, soil contact with wood, unsealed utility penetrations, and thick mulch along the foundation. A pest control company earns trust by writing these plainly and proposing simple fixes.
Moisture mapping and the role of building science
Termites follow moisture gradients, so I map wet zones. Bathrooms and kitchens often present as stripes of higher moisture along baseboards. That can be benign wicking, or it can be a slow leak from a wax ring, a supply line, or a shower pan. I check the rim of tubs and showers, the exterior wall below second-floor bathrooms, and the area around refrigerators with ice makers.
In coastal or humid climates, I pay attention to condensation. Cold AC ducts running through hot attics create drip points. If the duct boot leaks into the ceiling void, termites may exploit the softened material. The physics matter: warm, moist air hitting a cold surface will condense. Improving insulation or sealing the boot solves the moisture source, which reduces termite appeal and lowers energy costs. That is where a pest control contractor with practical building knowledge helps a client beyond chemicals.
The formal checklist a pro uses on every job
- Perimeter inspection: grade, siding clearance, earth-to-wood contact, vegetation, utilities, and visible tubes. Foundation, slabs, and garages: expansion joints, corner tubes, baseboards, and prior drill marks. Crawlspace inspection: piers, shields, sill plates, joists, plumbing penetrations, vapor barrier condition, and ventilation. Interior and attic: baseboards, window and door trims, bathrooms and kitchens, attic framing, frass deposits, and kick-out holes. Moisture and conducive conditions: meter readings, leaks, drainage, ventilation, mulch depth, and storage against walls.
This list is the skeleton. The judgment comes in how long you spend on a suspect area and what confirmation you seek before labeling activity.
Differentiating termites from their look-alikes
I still see reports that confuse ant swarmers with termite swarmers. The distinction matters because ant treatments differ. Termite swarmers have straight antennae, equal-length wings, and a broad waist. Ant swarmers have elbowed antennae, unequal wings, and a pinched waist. Under a hand lens, the differences are obvious. Without one, look for wing length relative to the body and how the insects scatter near windows. Termites shed wings in piles quickly. Ants keep theirs longer.
Carpenter ants excavate galleries but do not eat wood. Their frass looks like coarse sawdust with insect parts. Drywood termite pellets are uniform and granular. Powderpost beetles create very fine, talc-like frass and pinhole exits, but their damage patterns and seasonal activity differ. If I am unsure, I collect a sample in a labeled bag. A good exterminator company maintains a microscope and a reference vial. Identification drives the treatment plan we recommend.
When to recommend treatment, and what kind
A conservative inspector does not turn every old tube into a panic. Treatment thresholds depend on active evidence, the structure’s risk profile, and the owner’s tolerance. If I find active subterranean termites in a garage corner of a slab home, I recommend localized drilling and injection combined with an exterior trench and rod along that wall, sometimes expanding around the foundation if the grade and history suggest wider migration. Post-treatment verification includes scraping tubes and rechecking in four to six weeks.
If I find scattered drywood pellets in one room with no live evidence, I may suggest targeted injection with a labeled product into identified galleries and monitoring. If the home has widespread drywood evidence across multiple rooms or inaccessible areas, I discuss whole-structure fumigation. Fumigation is intrusive but thorough. I do not downplay the prep, the gas shutoff coordination, or the hotel nights. I also discuss heat treatment in markets where it is common, with the caveat that heat requires meticulous monitoring to ensure lethal temperatures at all target depths and can be limited by dense structural sections.
For subterranean termites in homes with wells, fish ponds, or drainage constraints, I discuss baiting systems. Baits require patience and maintenance. They shine where liquid barriers are impractical, for example near sensitive landscaping or around complex slabs. A reputable pest control company will explain that baits are not instant, but they reduce colony pressure over time and provide long-term monitoring value.
Real-world constraints and how to handle them
Not every inspection is pristine. Furnished rooms hide baseboards, built-in cabinets conceal slab penetrations, and stormy weather raises soil moisture and can mask readings. I document limitations plainly: heavy storage along walls, finished surfaces preventing intrusive testing, or poor crawlspace access. I include photos of blocked areas. Most clients, including real estate buyers, appreciate frank assessments rather than false certainty.
Contractors sometimes fight with us. I have had remodeling crews paint over tubes and backfill around new patios without termiticide pretreatment. When I see fresh concrete flush against siding, I explain why expansion joint sealing and a drilled barrier are now necessary. Bluntness, delivered respectfully, saves the owner money in the long run. I also coordinate with plumbers and roofers when leaks are suspected. Termite control without moisture control is a short victory.
Documentation that stands up later
A report should read like a map and a diary. It includes a property description, construction type, additions, and any known treatment history. It shows where evidence was found, what access was limited, and what measurements were taken. It marks photographs on a schematic so future technicians can return to the exact bay of a garage or the right side of a chimney chase. It differentiates between recommendations for immediate treatment and recommendations for repairs or moisture corrections that reduce risk.
Good documentation prevents disputes. If a seller claims no termites, a well-documented pest control service report with time-stamped photos of tubes behind lawn tools settles the matter. If a warranty claim arises, your notes on initial moisture readings and conducive conditions provide context for why a re-treat is or is not warranted.
How homeowners can prepare for a better inspection
Preparation saves time and money. Clear the perimeter within two feet of the foundation so the inspector can see the base of walls. Trim shrubs up off the siding and expose weep screeds if the house has stucco. Inside, move stored items six to eight inches off garage and closet baseboards where possible. Ensure attic access is clear and safe, with a functioning ladder or pull-down stairs. If you suspect an active leak, let the pest control company know ahead so they can bring the right meter and coordinate with your plumber.
Homeowners often ask about DIY detection. Sticky traps and general insect monitors are poor termite tools. However, maintaining a dry perimeter, using gravel instead of deep mulch, and keeping firewood and cardboard off the slab edges are solid practices. Monitoring stations can be installed by a professional exterminator service for ongoing surveillance.
Where termite control overlaps with other pest needs
A full-service exterminator company handles more than termites. A careful inspection may also note bed bug signs in a guest room, rodent droppings in a crawlspace, or cockroach activity behind a refrigerator. We do not blur lines to sell services, but we also do not ignore risks. If we see bed bug cast skins on a headboard during a termite inspection, we notify the client discreetly and explain that bed bug extermination requires a separate plan, typically including encasements, heat or chemical treatments, and follow-up. Integrating observations across pests helps a homeowner plan budgets and minimize disruption.
What a quality pest control company commits to
Credentials matter, but so does culture. The right pest control company sends licensed inspectors, not just salespeople. They carry insurance, follow state reporting standards, and abide by product labels. They explain options in plain language and disclose trade-offs. If they recommend trench-and-treat, they show where and how deep. If they propose baiting, they outline maintenance intervals. If they suggest fumigation, they walk through logistics and risks without gloss.
A good pest control contractor also sets realistic expectations about warranties. Subterranean termite warranties vary. Some cover re-treatment only, others include repair up to a limit. Drywood warranties often require full-structure treatment to qualify. Ask for sample warranty terms before you sign. Understand what voids coverage, such as new construction that disturbs treated soil, or severe leaks left unrepaired.
Seasonal timing and swarms
Swarm seasons are emotional. Seeing winged termites at a window gets the phone ringing. Swarmers often appear after rain warms soil in spring, though timing varies by region. A swarmer in the yard is often a general area indicator, not proof of an interior colony. A swarm from a baseboard or light fixture inside is more significant. We collect specimens and verify species. If confirmed as subterranean swarmers emerging from interior wood, we escalate quickly to find the parent gallery and treat. If they are drywood swarmers in a single room with prior evidence, we evaluate the breadth of activity before jumping to whole-house measures.
Pricing transparency and value
Inspection fees vary. Some companies offer no-cost inspections hoping to https://damiengknp700.huicopper.com/bed-bug-extermination-heat-vs-chemical-treatments-compared earn treatment work. Others charge a fee that includes a detailed report even if no work is needed. Both models can serve clients well. What matters is that recommendations are evidence-based and proportional. Installing 200 linear feet of chemical barrier for a single, isolated garage tube with no conducive conditions can be overkill. On the other hand, spot treating a corner when the crawlspace shows tubes on multiple piers is reckless.
I encourage clients to ask for ranges. A localized subterranean treatment on a straightforward slab might run in the mid-hundreds. A full perimeter treatment for a larger home with multiple tied-in patios can reach low thousands. Bait systems often involve an installation fee and quarterly service. Whole-structure fumigation typically lands in the low to mid-thousands depending on cubic footage. Beware quotes that are far below market without a clear reason. Underpriced work often omits drilling through abutting slabs or skips inaccessible zones, which shows up later.
After the inspection: the action plan
Good inspections end with a prioritized sequence. Immediate safety issues first, like severe structural damage or active leaks that threaten collapse. Next, active termite treatments sized to the evidence. Then, moisture and conducive-condition corrections: grading adjustments, fixing gutters, adding ventilation, replacing rotted trim with properly flashed material, or adding termite shields during remodels. Finally, monitoring and maintenance: follow-up inspections at intervals, bait checks if installed, and homeowner vigilance around perimeter changes.
Communication does not stop after the invoice. A reliable exterminator service schedules a recheck when activity was confirmed, often within 30 to 60 days. They revisit moisture hot spots after a plumber completes repairs. They update the report to reflect changes, preserving a clean chain of records for future sales or refinancing.
A brief case from the field
A two-story stucco home on a slab, fifteen years old, landscaped wall-to-wall with river rock and drip irrigation. The owners called after finding winged insects at a kitchen window. Exterior inspection showed no tubes on visible foundation, but the stucco ran 1 inch below the rock line at several spots. Moisture readings inside showed elevated numbers along the kitchen island kick plate. In the garage, at the back corner near the water heater, a faint mud line traced from the slab up behind a paint can stack. Probing confirmed soft baseboard. We moved the cans, exposed a live, pliable tube with soldiers present.
We mapped a likely route: a plumbing trench from the exterior to the water heater, then tubes across the slab to the kitchen wall. The plan: trench and rod the exterior along that side with a non-repellent termiticide, drill and treat the slab at the garage corner and two points along the kitchen wall, seal gaps at the water line penetration, and set three monitoring stations along the side yard because the stucco-to-rock interface blocked visual inspection. We also advised lowering the rock level to expose the weep screed and adjusting the irrigation schedule to reduce soil saturation.
Four weeks later, tubes were dry and brittle with no live insects. Moisture readings dropped after the irrigation adjustment. We left the monitoring stations for quarterly checks. The owners avoided a larger perimeter treatment because we respected the evidence and the building’s details.
The bottom line for owners and buyers
Termite inspections reward discipline and curiosity. Each home is a puzzle of materials, moisture, and time. The checklist anchors the process, but the outcome depends on an inspector who understands how buildings breathe and how termites exploit opportunities. Choose a pest control company that explains what they see, shows you where they see it, and recommends steps that align with both the biology of the pest and the physics of your house.
If you are scheduling an inspection, clear the perimeter, think through access, and gather any prior pest control service records. If you are comparing proposals, ask where they plan to drill, what products they will use, how they will protect landscaping, and how they will verify success. The goal is simple: a structure that stays sound, dry, and easy to inspect next time.
And do not wait for a soft baseboard to start the conversation. A yearly inspection from a licensed pest control contractor costs less than replacing one door frame, and it adds a layer of accountability that lasts beyond your time in the home.
Howie the Bugman Pest Control
Address: 3281 SW 3rd St, Deerfield Beach, FL 33442
Phone: (954) 427-1784