Mice, squirrels, raccoons, birds, and other types of wildlife may be fun to observe when they’re in their natural habitats — but no new homeowner wants to find them in their attic, basement, garage, or anywhere else in their home. As such, it’s important to conduct a professional pest inspection as part of the homebuying process — even if you’re already paying for a home inspection. Regular home inspections don’t look for active pest infestations, which means you could end up buying a home with past pest damage and active rodent, wasp, termite, or insect infestations. 

To learn more about the importance of conducting a pest inspection when purchasing a home, check out this resource guide from Wildlife X Team. 

Check out the video version of this post complete with fascinating pest footage by clicking HERE now.

You can also download the pest-free audio-only podcast by clicking on the podcast widget above this post.​

How to Conduct a Pest Inspection

Are you in the process of buying a new home? Conducting a pest inspection will help you to ensure you’re not buying a house with an active infestation of bugs, rodents, birds, or bats. 

• First, learn about the importance of inspecting a home for pests before moving forward with your purchase.
• As you hunt for new homes, be on the lookout for signs of pest damages and infestations (e.g. dead pests inside of the home, cracks in walls, or nests, webs, and mice or rat droppings).
• Contact Wildlife X Team to obtain a full Wildlife Inspection Report. Wildlife X Team inspects homes for signs of pest infestations and damages, identifies entry points, and offers recommendations for removing common household pests and preventing future infestations from occurring. 
• The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) offers some tips for choosing a pest control service to inspect your new home and manage pests when necessary. You’ll want to obtain a list of professional references, request proof of licensure or certification, and determine whether the company in question will provide you with a full report of their findings. 

Best Practices When Buying a Home with an Active Infestation

If after you’ve paid for a pest inspection you learn that your new home has an active infestation, you’ll want to follow these best practices.
 

• After conducting a professional home and pest inspection, you can try to negotiate with the sellers to resolve any active pest infestations or repair past damages from insects, termites, rodents, and other pests. 
• If the sellers won’t agree to resolve the pest infestation as part of your purchase agreement, make sure you understand what it means to purchase a property in as-is condition. 
• In the event that pests have damaged your home’s foundation, make sure you’re aware of the dangers of purchasing a home with structural issues.

Pest Prevention and Control

Once you’ve moved into your new home, these tips will help to keep unwanted guests from hibernating in your attic, basement, window ledges, and walls. 
 

• Perform regular home maintenance to prevent wild animals and other pests from entering your home. Wildlife X Team shares several wildlife prevention tips for homeowners. 
• Keep your home clean and decluttered, especially in areas such as the kitchen, pantries, closets, and garbage areas. Avoid stacking firewood near your home or anywhere in your garage.
• Family Handyman offers some tips for controlling pests without help from a professional. As a few examples, you’ll want to check the foundation, doors, and windows for gaps, seal cracks and gaps with mesh, caulk, or weatherstripping, and trim any branches that hang over your roof or siding.
• If wildlife or other pests enter your new home, contact Wildlife X Team to have them removed quickly and safely. 

To avoid buying a home with significant pest damages or active pest infestations, it’s important for homebuyers to conduct a professional pest inspection in addition to their general home inspections. A thorough pest inspection can help homebuyers to make the best possible decisions when purchasing a home — ensuring that they’ll feel happy, safe, and comfortable in their new living space for many years to come.

If you think that you have a wildlife or pest infestation problem, please give us a call at 855-WILDLIFE or visit our home-page at www.wildlifexteam.com for more information. 

Thanks! 

-Wildlife x Team International