How to Prepare Your Home for a Termite Inspection

When your house is due for a termite inspection, you don’t just sit and wait for home pest control experts to come and do their thing. More than anyone else, you play an important role in keeping your house free from pests. Trusted pest control companies do their best to give you a comfortable, pest-free home, but they also need your cooperation to achieve the best results.

If you want a thorough and successful termite inspection, there are preparations you need to carry out before inspectors arrive. Subterranean termites are known to be the type causing the most damage to many homes in Sydney, Central Coast and other parts of New South Wales. Their nests are hard to locate. Thus, inspectors need to gain access to every nook and cranny in your home where these termites are most probably hiding and breeding (e.g., subfloors, near water pipes and electrical wirings installed in walls, foundation, basement, attics). For them to do so, here are the recommended preparations to carry out before they arrive:

Trim trees and bushes

You may engage the services of tree pruning experts to trim trees and bushes in your lawn, especially those that may have already anchored into your house’s external walls and foundation. Once these areas are cleared, it would be easier for inspectors to check for possible termite colonies.

Remove clutter around your home, and move some furniture if necessary

Keep your house as clutter-free as possible. You may also have to re-arrange a few furniture pieces that may block certain areas needing special attention. Inspectors will be checking your house’s interior walls, so make sure to move back cabinets, armoires and other furniture pieces at least two feet away from the wall.

Clear crawl spaces, storage areas and attics

Make sure your basement, attic, storage areas, spaces under kitchen and bathroom sinks and other crawlspaces can be easily accessed. Temporarily put away the things you’ve placed in these areas to give way for inspectors. If your home stands on a raised foundation, they will be checking areas under the house, so make sure nothing is blocking their access to these locations.

Restrain your pets

If you have pets, they can get pretty touchy when they see new people inside your house. They tend to disturb ongoing work, causing distraction and harm to themselves and the inspectors. Confine your dogs or cats in a safe cage or have them stay in another house for just a few hours, until termite inspection is completed.

Inform people at home

Give your family or housemates a complete heads up about the scheduled inspection. Orient them regarding safety rules to observe while the inspection is ongoing. If you have children at home, make sure they understand the rules for their safety.