What Is A WDO Inspection

Maintaining well-kept homes involves scheduling various inspections, each holding its own significance. When it comes to ensuring the integrity of your home, a WDO Inspection in Jacksonville FL, holds particular importance. This inspection focuses on identifying wood-destroying organisms, safeguarding your home against potential structural damage and preserving its long-term condition.

You should act quickly if you notice even the slightest indication that a wood-destroying pest is in your home. Termites alone cause billions in damages every year to homes and other buildings. You’ll want an early start to prevent the spread of bugs and other organisms which can cause damage to wooden structures.

What is an WDO inspection?

One colony of wood-destroying insect can cause irreparable damages very quickly. You should contact a WDO inspection company immediately if you see wood around or in your home that looks damaged. Wood-damaging pest colonies can expand or split off into new insect communities. Unchecked, damage to fence posts in your yard can lead to damage inside your home.

Pests can damage wooden structures in other ways than insects. If you notice anything unusual, such as signs of wood decay, holes that are not explained, or weakening wood, contact a WDO expert.

WDO inspectors are specialized contractors who perform one of two types inspections: a full WDO inspection, or a restricted WDO inspection. Both types of inspections involve searching for organisms that can cause damage to wood. The inspector will give recommendations based on the findings in each case.

WDO inspections are comprehensive and involve a thorough examination of all areas accessible. Inspectors can use a flashlight to look at hidden cavities and all wood surfaces visible. The inspectors are looking for wood damage caused by wood-destroying insects.

Inspectors are on the lookout for signs of organisms damaging wood and conditions that encourage wood-damaging organisms to thrive.

The following indicators are looked for by inspectors

• Termite activity can be detected by the presence of insect waste or wood damage, as well as signs such a shelter tubes.
• Conditions that are ideal for wood-destroying insects
• Nearby dead trees stumps
• Wood that touches the earth.

WDO inspectors look for the following signs of infestation during the interior inspections:

• Wood floors, wood banisters and wood moulding.
• Basements with overhead joists
• Uncovered wall studs
• Crawl spaces
• Attic rafters
• Exterior wood siding

If you suspect that you have seen wood-damaging insects, a contractor will perform a limited inspection. The contractor inspects the area in question. The inspector will usually recommend a full inspection immediately or schedule one very soon if they find signs of infestation.

Ask about the WDO certification issued by NACHI if you are concerned about your inspector.

What is a WDO Report?

They will discuss the issues that they have found after a WDO inspection. The inspectors also document what they discover in a WDO Report. This report contains useful information including:

• If you have an infestation, the location and status of it on your property.
• Conditions that can promote an infestation of WDO
• Your risk level for developing a WDO infestation
• Recommendations on how to treat and prevent a WDO invasion.

Few states require a WDO before buying or selling a house. Most financial institutions still require a WDO as a requirement for home loans, even for states that do not. As part of a VA home loan, the following states and districts will require a WDO Report:

• Alabama
• Arkansas
• Arizona
• California
• Connecticut
• Delaware
• Florida
• Georgia
• Hawaii
• Iowa
• Illinois
• Indiana
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Massachusetts
• Maryland
• Mississippi
• Missouri
• North Carolina
• Nebraska
• New Jersey
• New Mexico
• Nevada
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Pennsylvania
• Rhode Island
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Texas
• Utah
• Virginia
• West Virginia
• Washington, D.C.

What is a World Development Organization?

WDO is an acronym for wood-destroying organism. When we think about WDOs, we tend to focus on termites and carpenterants. However, there is much more to the story than these annoying insects.

Fungi

Several fungi cause wood rot. These fungi are found in wood that has not been treated and can hold moisture for a long time. As they eat through the wood, some fungi cause cracks and weak spots. Some fungi consume wood from within, making it soft and unstable.

Insects

• The Termites– Termites pose the greatest threat to wooden structures. Over 600,000 termite cases occur in the U.S. each year. The most common termites are worker termites. The termites are easily identified by their creamy white color. They also have soil and wood dust stuck to their bodies. The termites that are capable of reproducing look like winged ants and have wings. Flying termites swarm out of their nests to find a new location for their colony in the spring and autumn.
• Carpenter Ants – Carpenter ants are characterized by their glossy, clean surface. They come in a variety of sizes and colors. Carpenter ants are able to build colonies in wood, but they rarely eat through it. They leave visible signs that their colony is there. Carpenter ants are not as well-known for destroying homes as termites but they can be a serious problem once they have set up in your walls.
• Powderpost Beetles – The worst problems with powderpost beetles are on the east and west coasts. These insects are not as common as termites or carpenter ants but they can still cause serious damage to your home if you let them into the wood.

Signs of Wood-Destroying insects

There are different WDOs that produce different signs. Here are some wood-destroying insect signs you can look out for to determine if it is time to contact a WDO inspection company.

• If the small holes are close together, it’s likely that something has eaten through your wood.
• Unidentified small piles of sawdust could be caused by a variety of wood-eating insects.
• If wood becomes spongy and springy after it was once hard, it could be a sign of a fungus that damages wood.
• If you hear a crinkling sound inside your walls, it could be termites or carpenter ants.
• Screwdrivers can be used to probe suspected infestation sites. The presence of many narrow channels in wood suggests the presence of a wood-destroying pest, such as termites or carpenterants.
• When you poke the wood with the screwdriver, worker termites and ants often come out.

Damage caused by WDOs

The damage caused by WDOs is usually similar, even if the damage appears different on the outside. It’s the worst when they eat away at the inside of wood, where you cannot see. Insects eat the wood’s structural integrity by burrowing in. The wood will eventually collapse because there won’t be enough to support the remaining material.

The collapse of entire structures is possible if WDOs cause enough damage to beams of support, ceiling rafters or floor joists. Although there are no statistics available on termite-related injuries, Americans spend more than $1 billion a year to repair WDO damages.

Bottom Line

If you do not take action immediately, wood-destroying insects and fungal growths can cause serious problems for your home. Contact a WDO inspector immediately if you see any sign of wood-destroying insects in your home. Follow the inspector’s advice after they have completed their inspection. It may be necessary to spend a few dollars in order to solve the problem. You will be able to save money, time and frustration if you take action now.