Yes, We Do Have Termites In Washington!

 It was a great week in the world of WestCoast Inspections.  I looked at a nice lake front house that sold for less than $350,000, I checked out a nicely renovated mid 40’s house for a couple who where first time buyers, up to Seattle to inspect a top floor condo unit that overlooked the city, back to Tacoma to look at a north end short sale, Edgewood for a Tri-plex, and Gig harbor for water front that shared a private beach.  There were some less than stellar homes in between but all and all a great week.  The one thing that came up several times this week was subterranean termites.  I was asked several times “what do they look like?” and “how do I recognize them?” and “how do you find them?” Well it seems like as good a topic as any.   Yes we do have termites here in beautiful Washington State and yes they do a lot of damage to a lot of nice homes.  We actually have two common varieties of termites here.  Dampwood termites most of us have seen even if we don’t recognize what they are.  In fact they have been flying around quite a bit these last few weeks.  They are good sized, four wings and a whitish brown color.  Check the grill of your car and you will probably see some.  The other types are subterranean.  They are very small, live in the ground and are much harder to find.  They are great architects building miniature highways out of mud and spit.  The highways are the best way to find them by the way.  These mud tubes are how they get around without exposing themselves (and ya don’t want them exposing themselves) to the air.  You will find these mud tubes anytime they leave the ground and enter your house.   I look for them at the foundation walls, in crawlspaces and even in attics.  If you find what looks like a line of mud running up the concrete of your foundation to the siding or structural members, scrap it off and see if it is hollow inside.  If it is its not mud but a mud tube.  You might even see the little guys inside.   The thing to remember is that they live in the ground not the house.  The only way to get rid of them is to hire a pest control operator and have treatment done.  Other good places to look for them are next to water heaters and furnaces, and most commonly wood landscape timbers in the yard.  I know they look nice and divide gardens perfectly but what you are really doing is supplying a food source for wood destroying organisms of which termites are only one.   There are so many other ways of dividing up the yard or building retaining walls and remember nothing eats concrete.  Well have a great week and we’ll see what next week brings.  I have heard rumors of a multiplex in North Tacoma.  

                                                Sincerely,   Matt Sorensen WestCoast Home Inspection.    

These are pictures of subterranean termite mud tubes or shelter tubes.  These are from a house I looked at in Lakewood a while back (the new pictures I took this week didn’t turn out so good).  This was a pretty good infestation and it was all under the house.  The sellers had no idea this was going on.  If you see something like this under your house it is time to call a pro.  

WestCoast Home Inspection                                                                                    Phone:           253-380-2922

903 291^st Street

                                                                                                        Scheduling:        253-380-5949

Roy, WA 98580                                                                                                                     Fax:        253-843-1807

Thanks Cheri for the Kick Start!

You know its funny how life sneaks up on you when you are not paying attention.   About six months ago a great colleague and friend of mine calls to share her idea for a new blog she is putting together.  “It will be a great source of information for others” she says as she gives me the details.  “Would you be willing to write articles and submit them to me for posting?” she asked.  Sure why not, just let me know when you want to start and I’ll put something together.   Fast forward to now and I am sitting here asking my self over and over “what have I gotten my self into?”.   Well since I have committed to a weekly blog (what a strange term) I guess I am going to make the most of it.  By the way my name is Matt Sorensen and I own and operate WestCoast Home Inspection.  We have been looking at other peoples houses for the last twelve years when they decide to sell them.  Inevitably we give them bad news in the form of a list of repairs and they inevitably ask “how did this happen?” so in keeping with the life sneaking up on you theme here’s how it happens.   You buy a house that is in good condition and move in.  You get a promotion at work or move to a new job; the landscaping grows tirelessly all spring thru fall; your wife goes to work and kids go to school; in the fall leaves fall and land in the gutters; the kids start sports and the weekends are shot; winter comes with winds blowing and storms brewing; holidays and vacations come and go; pests take up residence in your crawlspaces; and then its spring again.  Where did the year go?  There never seems to be enough time for anything let alone home maintenance.  Now repeat this process five to seven times (average years between moves) and what happens?  Well the plants are now on the house and quite possibly behind the siding trapping moisture and leading to rot and infestation.  Clogged gutters won’t drain and lead to rot in the trim, fascia and even roof sheathing and siding.  Storms lead to damaged roofs, siding and screens that lead to leaks and other damage.  And pests in the crawlspaces lead to all kinds of damage and issues.  Ultimately lack of maintenance leads to unnecessary damage and large repair bills.  All of these things are avoidable and don’t take much time really.  This is the time of the year when you should be trimming those plants off the house and cleaning the gutters and roof.   Check all of the screens both at the crawlspace under the house and at the attic.  Repair any that are damaged.  Get up on that roof and make sure there are no missing or damaged shingles.  The small amount of time or money that you invest in your home now will pay off in spades when its time to sell and move on.  That home inspector going through your home in the end could be positive and make you feel good about what you have done instead of a scary reminder of what you didn’t.  Well that’s all for this week and my hope is that I will have something useful and interesting for you each week going forward.   I’m off to look at another house.  Have a great week and check out the pictures of the week (why isn’t anyone afraid of power anymore?). 

                                                Sincerely,   Matt Sorensen WestCoast Home Inspection.    

WestCoast Home Inspection                                                                                    Phone:           253-380-2922

903 291^st Street

                                                                                                        Scheduling:        253-380-5949

Roy, WA 98580                                                                                                                     Fax:        253-843-1807

Our Commitment

The property buying process doesn't need to be stressful and complicated. Choosing a qualified, honest, and experienced real estate inspector can give you the knowledge and confidence you need to make sound real estate purchasing decisions. At WestCoast Home Inspection, our comprehensive inspections and commitment to honesty and accuracy bring peace of mind to every client.

At WestCoast Home Inspection, we take the time to do the job right. We spend time with you, clearly explaining our findings, giving you real answers that can help you make the right decision. We understand how important a real estate purchase is to you. All of our inspections include a written report complete with color photos. We are also licensed pest inspecors with the Wastington state department of agriculture. FHA and VA buyers, no problem. We don't consider a job to be complete until all of your questions are answered.

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