Home Buying Tips From A Pest Control Expert

Buying a home is both rewarding and a bit nerve wracking. There’s a lot to think about when it comes to a new home to ensure happiness with your purchase. So much so that it can be easy to overlook some key tips when purchasing.

Find Out What Pests Are Common In The Area

Having an understanding of what pests are common around the area that you are purchasing a home in can provide insight into any pests problems that the home has already had or can be susceptible to in the future. For the Pacific Northwest, common pests that have the ability to cause damage to a home are typically known as wood destroying organisms and include such insects as termites, carpenter ants, wood boring beetles, powder post beetles, anobiid beetles and wood rot which is caused by a wood decaying fungus. Of course, no one really wants any kind of pest lingering around their home let alone making it their own. Understanding what kinds of insects live around your home and property will help you in the buying process and as an owner when it comes to the upkeep of your new home. Not all pests can be visibly seen and that goes for the damage they can cause as well. A better understanding of what you’re working with will allow you to ask the right questions when looking to buy a home so that you don’t find yourself in a situation where your new purchase has a pest problem.

Pay Attention To The Visual Upkeep Of The Home

It’s likely that you have already given your new home a good lookover but in the process of viewing the home did you happen to look for any signs of pests? Signs of infestations can easily go unnoticed, so if you are not looking closely you may have overlooked them. It’s also important to note how the original owners took care of their property. One of the common tips in preventing pest infestations is maintenancing a home and the home’s property. By keeping a well maintained yard and home it will be less likely to attract pests. Some of the things to look for include clean gutters, removal of tree stumps, keeping firewood at least six feet away from the exterior of the home, removing debris from around the yard, keeping mulch away from the foundation of the home and storing away any pet food or bedding that pests may be attracted to for nesting. Signs of infestations can include mud tubes that are built up along the foundation of a home, hollow sounding wood, darkening and blistering of structural wood pieces and piles of dust like fecal matter or wings. This is not to say that pests will not invade a clean home but it definitely helps keep them at bay!

Invest In A WDO Report

As mentioned earlier, WDO’s are known as wood destroying organisms. These include a variety of termites, carpenter ants, wood boring beetles, wood destroying fungus and an array of others. As a buyer, a WDO report will help you cover your bases as a report will provide details of present or past signs of damage or infestations within the home that you are looking to purchase. Having pests come into a home can be normal but infestations can lead to huge issues which is the last thing you want to deal with when buying your new home. The cost of a WDO report is well worth it as it can save you thousands down the road if the home you purchased ends up having issues. Making sure that you hire a professional, experienced pest control company that will provide an above and beyond detailed report will ensure your peace of mind as a buyer as well as save you time and money. Learn more about why you should get a WDO report if you’re looking to sell your home.

There are a lot of useful home buying tips that new buyers can benefit from. When it comes to the structural integrity of a home a buyer wants to make sure that there will not be a need for future repairs as they can be costly, Since pests can easily go under the radar, hiring a skilled professional will help ease this process and ensure your bases are covered.