When we started this weekly blog/column here at Kapture Pest Control – we had a clear goal in mind. We wanted to help answer some of the many common questions we get as pest control experts and make pest control more understandable.
In some of our recent posts, we’ve covered some broader subjects like attic & basement specific pest control. As well as species specific pests like mice, roaches or spiders. Broader subjects have allowed us to answer several related questions at once and many of you have mentioned to us that they have been helpful. We love that!
This week, however, we’d like to get back to the spirit of the blog and answer a very specific question we’ve gotten lately. Should you schedule a pest inspection before buying a new home? The answer is a little nuanced.
What is a pest inspection?
Let’s specify what we mean by a pest inspection and while it is different from your standard home inspection. A pest inspection is an inspection for pests by a pest control expert. Home inspections are inspections of the home for red flags and oftentimes that can include pests.
HOWEVER, this is not a pest inspection. When a home inspector inspects your home he or she is looking to assess the condition of the home. This includes a lot of different aspects of the home. Electrical, plumbing, roofing, structure, and too many other things to list. Oftentimes they can and will note obvious signs of pest activity or suspicion of pest activity. But the key word here is obvious signs.
Home inspectors are trained to look for pests like wood-eating pests (termites and the like) and mice but only on a surface level. They will not inspect crawl spaces for pests and typically are not trained to detect all types of pests.
Why might you want a pest inspection?
The most common reason to have a pest inspection is to make sure you fully understand what you are buying. If you have a spider infestation in your crawl space this could make you less comfortable in said home. It could affect your decision to purchase the home in the first place.
But that’s a little extreme, maybe you are set on the home either way. Great! In that case, it could, in a practical sense, make sense to just know that there is a spider infestation so that you can treat for the spiders before moving in. Or so that you can negotiate the cost of treatment for said spiders in the terms of the home purchase.
Pest inspections allow you to know 100% of what you are buying. A home is expensive. It can’t hurt to have more information about what’s included in the purchase price.
When to order the pest inspection?
We recommend ordering a pest inspection twice. First when you are considering the home, to help you make the best decision possible. And second, before you move in – especially if the home was sitting unoccupied for several weeks/months. We are not saying this because we offer pest inspection and we’re trying to have you set an appointment, twice.
Most of the time if you’ve had the first inspection, and purchased the home it is not necessary to have the second inspection. If you have the home inspected and have no reason to believe anything has changed, or maybe you’re moving in right away – there is no need for another thorough inspection.
If you have the house inspected during the buying process and then that house sits empty for even a week or two the situation you are moving into may look very different from the situation you thought you were moving into. Mice, spiders, ants, roaches, earwigs, stinkbugs, ladybugs, raccoons, squirrels, and more could have moved in and they all breed so much faster than you think.
The choice is yours!
So do you need a pest inspection? If you are sensitive to pests and are a person who is made more anxious by their presence – yes. If you’re interested in knowing everything about the home your buying and/or moving into – yes! If that home has sat empty for any number of weeks – yes! And if you didn’t answer yes to any of the above questions – no, you do not need a pest inspection.
The choice is ultimately yours. And we offer free phone consultations to answer any other questions you may have. (888) 811-5813
Contact Kapture for a No-Obligation Phone Consultation and Quote:
Call 1-888-811-5813 or schedule online now to start protecting your home and family today!
