How to Conduct a Proper Inspection

• Wood attacked by subterranean termites comes apart readily when badly damaged, revealing termite tunnels, as well as soil particles and fecal smears. If the galleries are active, workers and soldiers may be seen.

• The presence of winged termite swarmers, particularly when they fly in large numbers inside a structure, usually indicates an infestation in the structure.

• The presence of wings shed from swarmers indicates a past swarm.

TERMITE INSPECTIONS. In order to make a satisfactory inspection, the technician should be provided with a pair of coveralls, a flashlight (the new halogen lights have gained great popularity) or an electric droop light, and a probing tool such as a screwdriver, ice pick or geologist’s pick. Graph paper and a clipboard are used to outline the house plan to indicate treatment methods which are appropriate.

Trained dogs (usually beagles) are sometimes used to detect termites. They are reported to be of particular value where infestations are not readily accessible to humans. They are also used to detect continuing infestation following treatment. However, the dog is only as effective as its training. The proper use of the dog by the handler is also critical. There is controversy over how long a dog will signal the presence of an infestation following treatment. Some indicate that the dog may signal activity for several months after activity has ceased, giving a false reading of activity. Some pest control companies have found the dog to have great value as a public relations tool.

Various listening devices also have been marketed during the years. These devices greatly amplify sound and can detect hidden termite infestations. However, background noise often interferes with the device. In addition, termites do not always create sound detectable with the devices so the absence of sound does not guarantee there are no termites. These devices are just another tool for inspectors but are not a panacea.

The job of inspecting a building is usually a difficult and arduous one. It often consists of crawling on one’s stomach in the dirt, mud and litter beneath the building, brushing aside spider webs and avoiding broken bottles, boards with nails and other objects.

Where the attic is inspected, one may encounter very high temperatures in confined and extremely dusty places. Here one must often lie flat and wriggle over rafters. Thus, not only is skill required to conduct a thorough inspection, but stamina as well.

Termite operators in the South are subject to infestation by the hookworm, Ancylostomo braziliense, known as "creeping eruption." These cause intense itching and irritation of the skin for prolonged periods. To avoid this problem technicians should take the following precautions:

• Schedule work when the soil is not moist.
• Place clean dry boards or plastic sheeting on the soil to prevent contact. Treatment of the condition may be made using the drug thiabendazole which is marketed under the trade name Mintezol. It requires a prescription.

In seeking evidence of subterranean termites in a building, one should thoroughly examine the exterior and interior surfaces of the foundation particularly where wood construction is on or near the soil. A careful inspection should be made of the wood construction in the basement or underarea of the house for evidence of termite tubes, tunnels or damage. These tubes, if present, are readily seen when they pass over the outer surface of the foundation or on the outside of the wooden understructure, but very often they may come up through a hollow block or crack in the cement or brick construction, and expansion joint, etc. The tube may be hidden in a not readily perceived crevice such as very often occurs around the chimney.

Sills, girders, joists, wood columns and basement window frames of wood should be probed carefully.

Scrap wood on the ground should be examined for the presence of termites. Where fills are in contact with portions of the wooden understructure, evidence of termite attack may not be visible. Hollow masonry, the voids in cement blocks, siding and stucco close to the ground will also hide evidence of termite infestation. Needless to say, special note must be taken of any wood in contact with the ground.

REGIONAL DIFFERENCES. How inspections are performed and what is reported varies somewhat from area to area, due to local, state and FHA and VA requirements. The inspector puts his integrity and his company’s liability on the line with each inspection. All of the issues are not currently resolved, but generally thorough inspection should be made of all accessible areas where termites are likely to occur, including attics in drywood termite areas. Damage that is discovered also should be discussed on the report but the significance of damage is usually left for determination by someone with skills in the construction trades.

Many state associations have developed useful forms that meet local conditions and regulations.

Dr. C. Douglass Mampe is president of DM Associates, Monmouth Beach, N.J. The preceding article was excerpted from Chapter 6 of the Seventh Edition of the Handbook of Pest Control.