How often should you get a termite inspection?

Short answer

Get a termite inspection once a year. In a cold northern climate, where termites are fewer and slower, every 2 to 3 years is enough. The inspector checks the foundation, the crawl space or basement, and the wood around the house for mud tubes, damaged wood and the other signs of an active colony. It takes 30 to 60 minutes and costs $0 to $150, and many pest companies inspect free in the hope of selling a treatment.

Why it matters

Termites eat the wood a house is built from, from the inside, where nobody sees it. A colony works through a sill plate or a floor joist for years before the wood gives way, and by then the damage runs through framing that's expensive to reach and replace. Home insurance doesn't cover it, on the grounds that it's preventable, which means the full cost of a termite problem lands on the owner.

The prevention is finding them early. Subterranean termites, the common kind in most of the country, live in the soil and travel to the wood through mud tubes they build up the foundation. The tubes are easy to see once you know to look, and an inspector knows where to look: the foundation walls, the piers in the crawl space, the wood near the ground, and the places where water keeps the soil damp. A yearly inspection finds a colony when it's a treatment, not a rebuild.

When to do it more often

The index's one modifier makes the inspection less frequent in a cold climate, every 2 to 3 years, because termite pressure drops with the temperature. Everywhere else, yearly. The reasons to call sooner are the signs below, and a few situations: a wood deck or a fence that touches the house, firewood or mulch piled against the foundation, a crawl space that's been damp, and a neighbor who's just found termites, since colonies spread.

What you need

Nothing. The inspector brings a probe, a flashlight and sometimes a moisture meter. Clearing the foundation walls of stored items, inside and out, lets them see what they need to.

Steps at a glance

1. Book the inspection in spring, when swarmers emerge and colonies are most active.
2. Clear the foundation walls, the crawl space entry and the garage walls so the inspector can see them.
3. The inspector walks the outside foundation looking for mud tubes and damaged wood near the ground.
4. They go through the crawl space or basement, probing sills, joists and piers.
5. They check the garage, the attic and any wood that touches soil or concrete.
6. They tell you what they found, and if there's activity, what treatment they recommend and what it costs.

You're done when you have the inspector's report, with any findings marked and a date for the next inspection.

Signs it's overdue

• Mud tubes on the foundation, pencil-width tunnels of dried mud running up the wall.
• Wood that sounds hollow when tapped.
• Discarded wings on windowsills or near doors, left by swarmers in spring.
• Bubbling or peeling paint on wood that isn't wet.
• Piles of frass, which look like fine sawdust, below wood.

DIY or pro

This is a pro-recommended job, because an inspector knows the signs, carries a probe, and goes into the places a homeowner won't. The free inspections most pest companies offer are a sales call, but they're also real inspections by people who find termites every week. Take the free inspection, and if they find something, get a second quote on the treatment before you buy.

What you can do yourself is the easy prevention: keep mulch, firewood and soil from touching the siding, keep the crawl space dry, fix leaks that wet the wood, and walk the foundation now and then looking for mud tubes. Finding a tube yourself is the signal to call.

Safety

• Structural: termite damage weakens the wood that holds up the floors and the walls. If an inspection finds damage, have the extent checked before anyone puts heavy loads on that part of the house, and get the treatment done promptly, since the colony keeps eating while you decide.

FAQ

How do I know if I have termites?

Mud tubes on the foundation, hollow-sounding wood, discarded wings in spring, bubbling paint, and piles of frass. Any one of them means call an inspector.

Is a termite inspection free?

Often. Many pest companies inspect for free and charge for the treatment. A paid inspection, from a company that doesn't sell treatments, costs up to $150.

How often should a house be treated for termites?

Treatment is for a colony that's found, not a schedule. A yearly inspection is the routine, and a treatment, when needed, comes with its own warranty period and follow-up inspections.

Does home insurance cover termite damage?

No. Insurers treat it as preventable, which is the reason the yearly inspection is worth doing.