We see a lot of pest inspection reports — pre-purchase WDOs, annual reports from other companies, reports from home inspections that include a pest check box. The quality range is enormous. A thorough inspection report is a document you can act on. A checkbox report is a liability shield with your name on it.
Here is what a thorough report should actually document — and what questions to ask if it does not.
What a WDO (wood-destroying organism) report covers
In Florida, a WDO inspection is a licensed, regulated service that covers termites, powder-post beetles, old house borers, and wood-decaying fungi. The inspector must be licensed by the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, and the report must document: the areas inspected (interior, attic, crawlspace, exterior perimeter, accessible sub-area structures), visible evidence of active or inactive infestation, visible conducive conditions (earth-to-wood contact, moisture damage, inadequate ventilation), and any areas inaccessible to inspection and why. If a report does not list the accessible areas inspected — if it just says 'inspected and clear' — ask for the full form.
What the camera actually finds that a visual inspection misses
We use a crawlspace camera on every inspection because a visual inspection of a Tampa crawlspace from the hatch opening misses the back two-thirds of the space — exactly where the worst mud tubes and floor joist damage tend to accumulate. Camera footage is not a regulatory requirement for a WDO, but it is the standard we hold ourselves to because it is the only way to give you a defensible picture of what is actually happening under your floor.
In the past year alone, we found active subterranean termite mud tubes on piers and sills in three Tampa homes that had received clean WDO reports in the prior 18 months. In every case, the prior inspection was visual-only with no crawlspace entry. The damage was in the back of the crawlspace.
The three questions to ask before accepting any pest inspection
First: was the crawlspace entered, or inspected from the hatch opening? These are not the same thing, and you should know which one you paid for. Second: are there photos? If the inspector found conducive conditions — moisture staining, wood contact with soil, poor ventilation — you should have documented evidence. Third: what is the scope of re-inspection if problems are found within 30 days? A reputable company backs their inspection with a guarantee period.
The inspection is not a formality. In Tampa, it is the document that tells you whether the home you are buying or living in is structurally sound and whether a $300 preventative treatment or a $3,000 corrective treatment is in your near future. Invest the time to read it.