A termite inspection is actually called a Wood Destroying Organism (WDO) inspection, and it covers four types of organisms that eat the wood in a home: subterranean termites, drywood termites, several species of beetles, and wood decay fungi (wood rot). Unfortunately, most termite bonds only insure against subterranean termites, although some bonds also add drywood termites at an additional cost. At best, that’s only two out of four.

     Plus, many termite bonds only provide treatment to kill any termites found while the bond is in force; but, again, a bond that includes repairing the damage costs more. Then add to that the fact that some bonds exclude Formosan termites, a particularly aggressive type of subterranean termite.

    Oh, and not all termite bonds are transferable to a new owner. So a termite bond is a good thing to have, but does not provide assurance of the absence of all the critters that could be munching on the wood in your next home. That’s why FHA and VA mortgages require a WDO inspection in areas where termites are prevalent, and you should too.  

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To learn more about termites, see these other blog posts:

• Should I be worried about termites if my neighbor's house is being tented?

• Is the WDO (termite) inspector allowed to poke holes in my wood siding and trim? 

• Do carpenter ants cause structural damage to houses in Florida?

• How long before closing can you have a WDO (termite) inspection done?

• How long does Bora-Care® last? 

• Why is it a mistake to store lumber in the crawl space under a house?

• Does the presence of carpenter ants in a house indicate that there are probably also termites? 

• How do termites infest a house and remain hidden while doing major damage?

• Are homes in Florida required to have termite protection? 

• If termite damage appears to be old, does that mean that termites may no longer be present?

• How do I know if my WDO/termite report is "clear"? 

• When do termites swarm in Florida?

• Does a recent termite company inspection sticker mean there are no termites? 

• Can a mobile/manufactured home get termites?

• Do I have to tent the house if I have termites? 

• What is the difference between a subterranean termite and a drywood termite?

• What are the green plastic discs in the ground around the house? 

• What is a termite shield?

• How do termites get into a concrete block house? 

• Do termites eat concrete?

• What is a clean WDO?  

• What do termites eat?

• How do I treat wood rot  that's listed in my termite-WDO report? 

• Do I really need a termite-WDO inspection? 

• What's causing those holes in the fascia?

• Does wood chip mulch in the yard attract termites?

• I think I have termites. What does a termite look like?

• I'm buying a concrete block house. Do I still need a termite inspection? 

• I saw a little termite damage on the baseboard. Should I be concerned?

   Visit our TERMITES, WOOD ROT AND PESTS page for other related blog posts on this subject, or go to the INDEX for a complete listing of all our articles.