Currently, there are more than 27,000 pest inspection and control firms in the United States.

The pest inspectors help homeowners identify any pests in their houses and provide the most effective way to prevent pest problems. They also conduct regular follow-ups on their clients to confirm that the pest extermination process was successful.

If pest problems in your home are stressing you, contact your nearest pest inspection and control service. Whether your home is infested with spiders, rats, termites, mice, or any other pests, these professionals can help you solve the problem.

Here is a guide of what is included in a pest inspection process.

Inspection Preparation and Rearrangements

When your Pest Control Kingston experts (or pest control experts in your particular area) schedule an appointment with you, you should make some preparations in readiness for the process. Some inspectors may give you a clue about the preparations you should make, while others may not tell you anything at all.

However, you should still make some rearrangements to make the house more navigable. Here are some of the preparations that you can make:

• Remove toys, clothes, and other personal items lying on the ground 
• Keep off the food substances that may prevent the pests from getting attracted to the bait that the inspectors use
• Remove all the things blocking the attic ahead of the inspectors’ arrival
• Trim all the plants blocking the foundation or the exterior walls, mainly if the pests infest them
• Carry out some structural repairs on the roofs, walls, ceilings, and other parts of the house. 

When you adhere to the standard practice before the inspection, you help the inspectors get the pests proof they need and shorten the time they spend in your home. So, don’t ignore any preparation measures that the inspectors give you or what you think will be right for the process.  

The Actual Inspection Process

The inspection process takes 15 minutes to 2 hours. The exact time duration depends on the house’s size, the inspectors’ expertise, and the infestation level.

Assuming that you have already observed the right preparation tips, the inspectors should examine both the interior and exterior parts of your home. 

They should look for any possible infestation signs to know what types of pests are troubling you, what attracts them to your house, and how to exterminate them.

Here are some of the things (pest evidence) which the experts look for during the inspection process:

• Insect wing piles
• Damaged wood
• Managed/gnawed wiring system
• Mice droppings
• Mud tubes
• Visible damage on your plaster or the timber

The professionals might also look for moist wood. If the moisture is more than 28%, they conclude that your house is infested with the wood-destroying fungi.

Using the evidence collected, pest inspectors can determine the types of pests in your home. For instance, if the pest dropping belongs to termites, they can find an excellent termite extermination method to get rid of termites in your house.

The pest inspectors do not only do the inspection on the floor but also on the walls, the roof, the fences, cowsheds, food stores, retaining walls, the garage, and so on.

However, they pay more emphasis on the areas you complain most about or the parts that have more evidence of pests’ presence.

The Pest Inspection Tools

You are probably wondering, “What tools do the pest inspectors use?” The experts use high-quality modern equipment to see through tiny holes and cracks in your home.

Here is a list of the commonly used tools:

• Moisture meter to measure the level of moisture – Many pests like places with high humidity and moisture levels
• Hole saws and drills to inspect the ground/landscape
• Stethoscopes
• Fiber-optic cameras to see through deep holes and cracks
• Termatrac microwave radar to detect the presence of live termites and trap their nests

The list for the tools is endless, but the above are the main ones. The pest inspectors protect themselves during the entire process by using respirators, gloves, flashlights, baiting bots, etc. 

Your Presence During the Pest Inspection Process

You can decide to walk around with the pest inspectors or leave them to do their work alone. However, it’s highly recommended for you to be present during the inspection process.

When you are present, you get first-hand information regarding the results of the inspection. You also learn a few inspection tips that you can be doing on your own.

But if you can’t be present due to unavoidable circumstances, you should instruct the inspectors to give a detailed report of the inspection process. They should either print it or send it online via your email. The report should mention the current pest issues plus potential future issues.

When to Do a Pest Inspection

You can call the pest inspectors anytime whenever you suspect the presence of pests in your home. When you do a DIY inspection, you may not identify all the pest problems; plus, you may get hurt by the harmful pests.

You can also do a pest inspection process when moving to a new house. Some houses have a history of pest infestations, and the inspections can help you know if some pests are still present. 

Depending on your new house’s environment, the inspectors can help you know the possible pests that you might encounter in your new place and how to deal with them. They can also schedule a follow-up visit to check if the pest problem is still there. 

Seek Help for Pest Problems

Do you suspect that your house is pest infested? Have you tried the DIY pest control method unsuccessfully? If that’s the case, then you should seek help for the garden pest problems. 

Just make sure that you work with the best pest inspectors to get the best results. Also, don’t hesitate to hire new pest inspectors if the current ones no longer deliver.

Now that you’ve understood how to deal with pest problems in your home, it’s time to learn about other topics. Our blog has many informative real estate market guides to inspire those in the real estate industry. Please read them to learn more.  

Jane