A Few Things You Need To Know About An Oregon WDO Report

If you’re looking to purchase a home it’s a good idea to make sure that you have all your bases covered and that includes having a whole home inspection that provides a WDO report. Home inspections are typically done once a buyers offer has been accepted. At this point, the buyer can schedule a full inspection to ensure that they are not purchasing a home with major problems. With that said, it’s important to understand what a WDO report is and how it’s a benefit to you as a buyer.

• WDO Report- What Is It?
• Why A Buyer Should Get A WDO Report
• Where Do I Go To Get A WDO Report

WDO Report- What Is It?

A WDO report is a specific inspection that looks to see if a home has any issues with wood destroying organisms. Oftentimes, it is termed as a termite inspection but a WDO report should cover ‘All’ wood destroying pests and organisms, not just termites. A professional inspector should be able to provide a detailed report on whether wood destroying pests or organisms are currently present, if there are signs of past infestations, if there are favorable conditions for an infestation and if there is any existing damage done to the home. Depending on the age, square footage and location of the home, an average WDO inspection cost is anywhere between 100-250$. All wood destroying pests and organisms such as wood boring beetles, carpenter ants, dry rot and all species of termites should be looked for where common infestations of these pests are likely to be found. Once a full WDO inspection is completed a NPMA 33 form, which is really just a wood destroying insect report, will be filled out verifying the inspection and its details.

Why A Buyer Should Get A WDO Report

Wood destroying insects and organisms can wreak havoc on the structure of a home. The damage that can ensue because of these pests can easily be overlooked, if not completely unnoticed. Termites, for instance, are a common house pest that build tunnels using mud which they then build up in order to access desirable areas of a homes structure. Being that they start at ground level, they are likely to go unseen, especially in areas such as crawlspaces which homeowners rarely venture down into. Dry rot itself is caused by a fungus that feeds on wood causing it to weaken. If there is a lot of moisture in the wood, this provides the perfect environment for fungus to grow and start causing problems. Wood will start to crack, becoming brittle and eventually break down. Older homes are at a greater risk of dry rot as they are not typically pretreated with dry rot prevention methods. Other pests such as carpenter ants look for weakened wood that is full of moisture as this makes it desirable for them to build their nests and grow their colonies. These are just a few examples that show how quickly homes can fall prey to pests which is why a buyer should get a WDO report.

Where Do I Go To Get A WDO Report

When looking to get a WDO report you’ll want to make sure that the inspector is licensed for this specific inspection. Pest control companies are often licensed by the Oregon Department of Agriculture for WDO inspections, making their experience and expertise with these pests the best option when looking to get a WDO report. It’s important to note that real estate licenses do not provide the training to inspect a property for wood destroying pests and organisms. A lender may deem it necessary for one of these inspections as part of the loan but neither a realtor or a lender can actually provide the expertise of a WDO inspection. It’s also important that a buyer hire their own professional inspector versus relying on the seller to provide this inspection. This ensures that all information is being accurately obtained to you as the buyer. Before hiring anyone, however, you’ll want to determine when your purchase contract offers a deadline for home inspections. As long as these terms are met, most purchase contracts will provide an ‘out’ option if you decide after the inspection that the home is not the right fit for you.

Buying a home is an investment and that makes it even more imperative for you as the buyer to learn what you need to know about an Oregon WDO report. It goes without saying that as a home buyer you want to ensure your investment is not going to pop up with a bunch of unwanted problems down the road. Having a professional pest control technician come out to provide a WDO inspection is one way to ensure that your new home purchase is safe from unwanted pests that could easily go unnoticed until it’s too late.