There are two reasons to get a termite-WDO inspection when you are buying a house. Either you are concerned about the possibility of termites munching away inside the walls of your new home, or it’s a required part of your real estate transaction.
VA loans, some FHA loans and particular financial institutions require a WDO (Wood Destroying Organism) report as part of the loan application process. So check with your loan officer to see if you need one. It’s also specified by many lenders that the report be dated within 30-days of closing. Again, check with your lender on this. If you need a recent WDO at the closing table you can either have the inspection done at the same time as your home inspection, then rechecked and a new report issued closer to the closing date. |
Causes of wood damage
Termites
Wood-inhabiting insects can be divided into those that use wood as a food material --termites and wood-boring beetles, for example -- and those that use it for shelter --carpenter ants and bees, for example. Damage is caused by immature termites called nymphs,by the larvae or grubs of the wood-boring beetles, and by the adults in ants and bees.
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Water
There are two main classes of wood rot. In one type, the decayed area has a brown discoloration and a crumbly appearance. It usually breaks up into variously-sized cubes, giving rise to the name "brown cubical rot." Another type of rot results in a white or yellow discoloration, with the decayed wood being "stringy" or "spongy."
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Fungus
Wood destroying fungus (fungi, plural) causes more damage to structures than all the fires, floods, and termites combined! Wood decaying fungus requires four fundamentals to survive which are oxygen, favorable temperatures, water, and food. Fungus occurs generally when the moisture content of wood exceeds 20 to 30 percent, coupled with optimal temperatures (32̊– 90̊F), an adequate supply of oxygen and a suitable source of energy and nutrients.
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