A home inspection will find insect and fungal damage on the wood

Every time you have a home inspected, your inspector will look at the structures and systems that make the home what it is. You will naturally look at wooden structures such as floors, walls, doors, and windows.

There are four things that can cause wood structure problems. These are: 1) Deflection and deformation, 2) Attack of fungi and insects, 3) Fire and 4) Failure of connection and improper alteration. In this article we will look at the damage and rot of insects.

Insect and fungal damage is commonly found where wooden door frames touch concrete or the ground at grade. Moisture is an open invitation to such harm. Dry wood does not rot. If the wooden structures of a house are properly protected, the moisture content will not exceed 10-15%. However, at levels of 25-30%, you can count on rot from fungus or insect infestation.

Your home inspector will check the wooden components in the home. They will be on the lookout for wood stains, fungus, termite shelter tubes, holes, soft or discolored wood, and small piles of sawdust.

He can probe all of the suspicious wood with a sharp instrument and check its moisture content with a moisture meter to see if those troublesome 20-25% levels are present. Healthy wood splits into long, fibrous chips, but rotten wood picks up into short, ragged pieces.

As your home inspector looks at the exterior of the home, he or she will look at the following areas:

* Places where wood is in contact with the ground, such as wood piles, porch and deck supports, porch trusses, wood steps, adjacent fences, and nearby piles of wood.

* Foundation walls that can host termite shelter tubes, including tubes in crevices in wall surfaces.

* Frames and sills around basement or lower level door and window frames, as well as the base of frames around garage doors.

* Wood framing next to above-grade tile patios or porches.

* Wood that is near or in contact with roofs, drains, window holes, or other areas that are exposed to periodic wetting from rain or lawn sprinklers.

When you inspect the interior of the house, you will check the following areas:

* Spaces around or within interior foundation walls and floors, crawl spaces, piers, columns, or pipes that may accommodate shelter tubes, including cavities or cracks.

* The sill plate that covers the foundation wall and the beams, rafters and other wooden components that are in contact with it.

* Basement partitions with wooden structure.

* Baseboard cladding in level slab buildings.

* Subfloor and joists under kitchen, bathroom and laundry areas.

* Attic roof sheathing and truss around chimneys, vents, and other openings.

When wood is damaged by fungi or insects, it may be possible to repair it at a reasonable cost. The affected areas may need to be replaced or added support, depending on the cause of the problem. The damage may not be severe enough to seriously affect the stability of a home, but certain parts or components may be badly damaged. Of course, an exterminator should be consulted when evidence of termite or other insect damage is found.

There is a lot to consider when it comes to the wooden structures of a house. This is why it is so important to conduct a home inspection before buying or selling a home to determine the condition of those structures and point the way to correct any problems that can be resolved.

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