What Should I Do Before a Pest Inspection?

A pest inspection can be helpful for both homeowners and business owners, and there are steps you can take to make the process easier for the inspector. As part of this process, you should ensure that the property is easily navigable and well-organised and that any trouble spots are identified. Following these guidelines will help the inspection go more smoothly. In addition, you'll know what to expect from the inspector. It will allow for prompt and efficient action in the event of pest detection.

How Come I Need To Get My House In Order?

A Tramex moisture metre, a handheld device that detects humidity and moisture behind walls and within voids and cavities we can't access, is the workhorse of a termite inspection (or perhaps see into).

Timbers, wallpaper, and cardboard are all fair game for termites, and once a colony is established, they will eat anything cellulose-based and leave behind what is essentially wet mud. When the moisture detector reveals the presence of moisture in the walls or structure, we proceed with a more thorough investigation using the Flir thermal imaging camera.

For accurate readings, you must press the moisture metre firmly against the wall or other inspection surface. It is easy to imagine how challenging it would be to conduct a thorough inspection of a property if we arrived to find it in disarray.

Your home needs to be inspected for pests at this time of year. You can do a few things to get your home and yard ready for the inspector if you suspect you have a termite infestation or are getting ready to sell your home. You can achieve the best results if you invest some time in clearing these areas.

It Would Help If You Moved The Furniture Away From The Walls.

In the same way, you would pull your refrigerator out from the wall in the kitchen so that your pest control technician can examine it; you may want to remove large pieces of furniture from the walls in other rooms as well. It is not required but is greatly appreciated, especially in cases of severe infestation. 

Keep Animals In Cages So Technicians Can Get Their Jobs Done.

Conventional pesticides can have devastating effects on pets. If you can leave your pet with a friend or neighbour while you have pest control done, that would be ideal.

Always remember to store your pet's bedding and accessories in a secure location. Visit the vet to have your pet treated for fleas and ticks. Wrapping aquariums tightly in plastic is required. It would help if you fed your fish for the duration of the treatment, plus a little extra. A fish auto feeder is valuable and should be purchased if you don't already have one. Turn off the air pumps in your aquarium to prevent them from sucking in harmful chemicals from the air.

You Should Always Be Present During The Scheduled Appointment With The Pest Control Technician.

Please schedule an appointment with a pest control company when you can be home to let the exterminator in and show them where the bugs are hiding. If you're home when your pest control technician comes to assess your situation, they'll be able to more accurately pinpoint the source of your problem and make appropriate recommendations.

Storage Areas Below Grade

Boxes and other long-term storage items are typically stacked against the walls of a basement or garage. Shift everything towards the middle of the room by a couple of feet.

Rooms, Including The Kitchen And Bathrooms

Your inspector will check under the sinks for signs of pests because of all the moisture accumulating there. Get ready for his visit by clearing those cupboards and placing their contents in a box. It will allow him to spend less time inspecting and more time fixing things.

Clean the kitchen thoroughly before you start using pest control products. Maintaining a clean kitchen will make your home less appealing to pests.

Before the pest control technician arrives, you should store all perishables in the fridge or cabinets. Things like small appliances and cookware that live on the kitchen counter should be put away and covered.

Cleaning behind the stove, fridge, and dishwasher is a great idea but is by no means mandatory. However, if there is a significant population of a particular type of insect, it may be necessary to remove the gadgets in question.

Clean up the area around and underneath the appliances, removing any food remnants or other trash. Your pest control expert will need room to move around while inspecting the area for pests, so please leave your appliances out from the walls.

Take out the trash. It's time to clear the counters and pack up your dishes, glasses, and bottles. In contrast to other pieces of furniture, kitchen cabinets are frequently sprayed for pest control.

Small appliances are best stored elsewhere in the house. If that's not an option, unplug them and wrap them in plastic. If you must leave them on the counter, make sure they are easily relocated.

It would help if you used heavy plastic containers to store food. Many insects can easily chew through the plastic to find refuge inside. If you need to keep spices fresh or chips crisp, put them in the fridge.

It's essential to disconnect the refrigerator from power before doing anything else. It would help if you used up all perishables and any leftovers discarded.

Storage Area

Get rid of any clutter near your water heater. It will not only help the fire marshal inspect your home, but it will also help prevent fires. Once the exterminator leaves, this space should remain clear.

Make sure everything from clothing to children's toys to cosmetics and toiletries is stored and protected with bubble wrap. Store them in the cabinets and tape the cracks where the doors and drawers meet if necessary. For this reason, you should not use masking tape because it is made of paper and can absorb the spray's contaminants.

Sheets, covers, cushions, pillows, mattresses, and the like should be put away and removed. Plastic wrap helps store items when you run out of room. Wrap the furniture (sofas, beds, tables) in bubble wrap. Cloth sheets won't work because the chemicals could seep through them. Wooden furniture should be removed if there is a problem with pests like termites.

Above The Roofline

For effective pest control, your neighbourly exterminator will need to access the rafters in your roof. If you need to use a ladder, ensure the space underneath it is free of anything that could get in the way. If you need to access an access panel in a closet, you should unzip the door and hang your clothes to dry elsewhere to avoid bringing dust and insulation into the closet.

Please Prepare Your Property For Our Arrival.

Helping you move items away from walls and in cupboards or make areas accessible, such as basements or attics, can slow us down and the entire termite inspection process. We're happy to lend a hand if you need it, but it's not the best use of our time.

Keep in mind that we will also be inspecting the exterior of your building. If the area around your home is obscured by tarps, garden tools, trailers, bikes, barbecues, or even overgrown bushes and plants, you may miss early warning signs of termites.

Termites can cause extensive damage in surprisingly small areas, so we must have access to, or at least a clear vision of, as much of your property as possible, both inside and out.

Do Some Slight Reorganising

Please remove all items from under your kitchen and bathroom sinks to facilitate the inspector's examination of your plumbing for signs of termite activity. You should pull everything away from the wall in your garage by about two feet. It would help if you moved any furniture or decorations leaning against your home's exterior walls two feet away.

Make The Attic Easily Accessible.

Before the inspector arrives, ensure the attic access is clear of debris. The inspector will need access to the attic, and you should take precautions to prevent any items from being disturbed by falling attic debris.

Please Clear The Crawl Space.

If your home has a raised foundation, the home inspector will have an easier time accessing the crawl space. Make sure nothing stored in the crawl space is in the way of the inspector's work, and remove anything blocking the opening.

Fix up the landscaping a bit.

You should trim plants if they hide the exterior walls or the foundation.

So, What Happens During The Inspection

Your termite inspector should spend at least 1.5 hours, and probably closer to 2, check out your home. Of course, the length of time required will change depending on the size of your property. The inspector will look for droppings, broken wings, mud tubes, and damaged wood, all telltale signs of a termite infestation inside and outside the house.

The inspector will look at your home's structure, windows, doors, crawl spaces, cabinetry, and storage spaces. The inspector will want to go through every room in your house, from the basement to the attic, paying particular attention to the plumbing and electrical systems and the kitchen, bathrooms, and utility areas. Why? It is because subterranean termites frequently enter homes through plumbing penetrations in concrete slabs.

The inspector will examine the exterior walls, eaves, and the foundation while standing outside your home. Wood rot and mud tubes are two other issues that an inspector will be looking for when checking a building's structure. After ensuring no termite activity is inside the house, the inspector will go outside to check the yard and property.

Termite Prevention: Steps For The Future

The inspector will report their findings to you once the examination is finished. The inspector will advise treatment if an infestation is found and may recommend preventative measures even if none are present. In addition, they may recommend measures to reduce the likelihood of a termite infestation occurring, such as:

Eliminating Excess Moisture

Don't let water pool around your house's foundation; fix any dripping faucets immediately—clear debris from your gutters and direct water away from the house with downspouts. Ensure water flows away from your home's foundation by properly grading the soil around it.

Strictly Maintaining A Clean Landscape

Avoid having mulch, firewood, or wood scraps touching the exterior of your home, and get rid of any dead trees or tree stumps. Keep your home and any fences away from the soil as much as possible. Termites can easily access your home through any wood surfaces they find.

If There Is A Problem With Your Roof Or Attic, Get It Fixed Right Away.

Termites can easily access your home through the attic if you have missing or broken roof tiles or an access hatch.

Rejecting Cardboard

Reduce the number of cardboard boxes you keep in your garage and attic to prevent providing a meal for termites.

Watching For Termite Infestation Signs

Be on the lookout for discarded wings in window sills, hollow-sounding floorboards, and mud tubes on the exterior of your home.

Annual Professional Inspection Schedule

The untrained eye may miss infestation signs, but a professional termite inspector will see them all and be able to offer advice on how to deal with an existing problem or safeguard your home in the future.

The Processing Of Food Equipment.

Rats, mice, and cockroaches, among others, are attracted to food products and moisture accumulation around equipment. Your pest control company will check all equipment to make sure it is simple to clean and disinfect regularly to avoid the buildup of food and moisture that could attract pests.

Reservable Spaces For Storing Things.

Pests love product warehouses because they have so many places to hide, with all the dark nooks, crannies, and general chaos. As rodents often chew through cardboard boxes in search of food and nesting materials, your pest control partner will check for any evidence of damage to boxes and bags during the inspection. In addition, they will check to see if products are properly sealed and stored to prevent further infestations.

Get rid of any food that may have been sitting on the counter. You should also store your utensils, plates, cutlery, drinking glasses and other small appliances during the treatment.

Cover them entirely in plastic wrap before and after treatment if you must leave them on the counter. The kitchen is the second most popular pest-infestation location, after the bathroom.

Insects and other pests are attracted to the crumbs, spills, and food left out in break rooms, and the excess moisture is often present in bathrooms. Your pest control service will check these areas for garbage buildup and leaky faucets and toilets.

The Trash Can Depositories.

Pests love dumpsters and garbage cans because they provide shelter, food, and water. Every trash can will have a secure lid, be placed away from any potential points of entry, and be emptied routinely, as will be verified by your partner during the inspection.

Your pest management company will tailor an IPM plan to your facility's specific location and pest problems, and regular inspections will play a vital role in the success of this plan. Your pest control company will be able to quickly identify problem areas within the building and apply the appropriate treatments to prevent pest entry by following this procedure of routine inspection, identification, and treatment.

Leave The Building

For your safety and the safety of your loved ones, you should leave the house for at least four hours after the treatment is over.

It's essential if anyone in your home has asthma, allergies, or is pregnant. The same is true for infants and toddlers, particularly the crawling set.

Conclusion

It sounds like you could use a good pest inspection, so that's good to hear. Is there anything you should do before the inspector arrives? Here are a few pointers to help make the process go more quickly. Before beginning any inspection, it is imperative that the areas to be inspected be made free of any clutter. Sweeping or vacuuming up any dirt or debris and putting away any toys or games or pet food and bedding are part of this process. Allow the inspector to check for pest entry and exit points by opening all windows and doors. Finally, don't be shy about asking your inspector questions or voicing any concerns you may have during the inspection.’

Content Summary

• If you suspect you have a termite infestation or are getting ready to sell your house, there are a few things you can do to get your home and yard ready for the inspector.
• Keep your pet's bedding and supplies in a safe place at all times.
• Get your pet checked out by the vet if you're concerned about fleas or ticks.
• Pest control services need that you be there at the scheduled session so that the exterminator may observe the infestation firsthand.
• Before utilising pest control chemicals, make sure the kitchen is spotless.
• Get rid of the garbage.
• It's time to put away the dishes and put away the bottles.
• To keep pests at bay, kitchen cabinets are treated more often than other furniture.
• You should clear the area around your water heater of any unnecessary items.
• Protect your couches, mattresses, and tables with bubble wrap.
• Your friendly neighbourhood exterminator will need to climb up into your attic rafters to do his job properly.
• Make sure there is no clutter blocking the inspector's path to the attic.
• The inspector's checklist will include checking the roof, basement, attic, doors, windows, and cabinets.
• You should stay away from home for at least four hours after the treatment is finished to ensure your safety and the protection of your loved ones.
• Seems like a pest inspection would be useful, so that's excellent to hear.
• When the inspector arrives, is there anything special you need to do?
• I've included some suggestions below that should make things move along more swiftly.
• Please open all windows and doors so the inspector can look for any pest entry and exit sites.