Buying a new home in the O’Fallon, IL area, is always exciting. However, finding out that your home has a pest problem once you move in could significantly dampen your excitement. It can be tough to spot the signs of a pest infestation with an untrained eye, which is why a pest inspection is so important before you decide to close on a new home.
Is a Pest Inspection Legally Required?
Illinois state law does not require you to get a pest inspection before you close on a home, but there are many good reasons to consider it. Many lenders won’t release funds for the purchase of a home until you have a termite inspection, for example.
Do New Homes Need a Pest Inspection?
Even newly built homes are vulnerable to infestation by termites and other types of pests. Do not assume that just because you are buying a new house, it will be safe from pests. Termites are always on the hunt for new places to live and can start to attack a new house within days of its completion. They enter directly from the soil to feast on the wooden structures inside the home. Always schedule a pest inspection before closing on a new house.
Does a Home Inspection Include a Pest Inspection?
A standard home inspection carried out before closing contains limited information about the signs of pest infestation. Home inspectors look for major red flags, such as moisture or wood rot, but these can only alert buyers to the presence of a severe and well-established infestation. Home inspectors generally do not look for more subtle signs of infestation, which means that pests could be left unnoticed to establish more of a foothold in the home.
Who Performs a Pest Inspection?
Infestations should always be carried out by a licensed pest inspector. Pest control experts have the necessary experience to spot even subtle signs of an infestation, which means that these professionals are much better suited to carrying out a pest inspection than a general home inspector.
What Pests Do Inspectors Look For?
There is a wide range of pests that can attack new homes in and around O’Fallon, IL. Termites are a major concern in this area, along with other wood-destroying insects such as carpenter ants and powder post beetles. Pest inspectors are trained to spot the differences between each type of infestation so they can correctly identify the type of insect responsible.
Other types of pests that can affect O’Fallon homes include fire ants, rats, cockroaches, silverfish, mice, ticks, and fleas. These pests can sneak into a house through very tiny holes, which means it can be very difficult to guarantee that even a new home is free from them.
Pest inspectors can spot the signs of all these types of pests, such as droppings or damage to the property that the pests have caused. Their report will let you know which pests are present and what you can do to control and eliminate the infestation.
Are Pests Really That Harmful?
Leaving a pest infestation undetected and untreated is something you should never consider, particularly with a new home in O’Fallon, IL. This area is vulnerable to termites, which have moderate to heavy activity in the area. Subterranean termites can cause severe damage to the frame of a home, leading to repair bills in the hundreds of thousands of dollars if you ignore the problem for long enough. Even dry-wood termites, which prefer to feast on door frames and furniture instead of structural wood, can cause significant damage that costs a lot to put right. You could leave yourself facing huge costs if you do not schedule a pest inspection by a termite control expert before you close on a new house.
Who Should Pay for a Pest Inspection?
It is customary for buyers to be responsible for arranging and paying for a home inspection. However, for pest inspections, there is no clear convention. Some homeowners or home builders arrange for a pest inspection to be carried out before they put the house on the market, in which case they will be the ones to pay for it.
In other cases, it is up to the buyer to request and pay for a pest inspection before closing on an O’Fallon home. The cost of a pest inspection varies widely depending on the size of the home and the company you choose to use.
Whether the seller pays for the pest inspection or you have to pay for it yourself, the important thing is to ensure that it is carried out. The financial risks of going ahead with the purchase of a new home without a pest inspection are huge. It is well worth paying for an inspection now to prevent pests from causing serious problems in your O’Fallon IL home in the future.
