What does a termite inspection check in an older Indianapolis house?
A termite inspection covers every accessible place where wood meets soil, masonry or moisture: the foundation line, basement walls, sill plates and rim joists, crawlspace piers, porches and steps, door frames near grade, garages and carriage houses. The technician looks for mud tubes, swarm wings, live insects and damaged wood, and notes what could not be reached.
Old houses give an inspector a lot of ground to cover. An Irvington foursquare might have a stone basement under the original house, a poured footing under a rear kitchen and a wood porch on brick piers. Every joint between those parts deserves a close look.
Finished basements and stored boxes limit what anyone can see. Clearing a path along the walls before the visit makes for a more complete report.
- Foundation and basement walls, inside and out
- Sill plates, rim joists, floor joists and support posts
- Porches, stoops, decks and steps
- Window and door frames close to grade
- Crawlspace piers, vents and moisture
- Detached garage or carriage house, when requested
What is a WDI report, and who needs one?
A wood-destroying insect (WDI) report records visible evidence of termites and other wood-destroying insects on the day of inspection. Lenders and buyers often ask for one during a sale. HUD and VA sales use the national NPMA-33 form unless a state requires its own form, and NPMA-33 is common on conventional sales too.
The report says whether live insects, signs of a past infestation or damage were seen, and which areas were inaccessible. It is not a structural engineer's report and cannot promise that hidden damage is absent.
Ask your lender or agent which form they want and how recent it has to be. Lenders set their own limits, so book early enough that a second inspection isn't needed right before closing.
Some buyers order one even when the lender doesn't ask. On a house built before the First World War, the report is a small line item next to the cost of replacing a rotted sill plate.
Who is allowed to inspect for termites in Indiana?
In Indiana, termite inspections for a sale are done under Office of Indiana State Chemist (OISC) certification: category 7b, Termite Control, which also qualifies the holder to inspect for wood-destroying organisms, or category 12, Wood Destroying Pest Inspection. Category 12 is inspection only; it does not allow applying pesticides for hire.
That difference matters if termites turn up. Someone certified only in category 12 can report them but can't treat them, while a business with a 7b-certified applicator can handle both.
Ask which certification applies, and ask for the license number before the visit. Any company doing this work should answer without hesitation.
What happens if the inspection finds termites during a sale?
If active termites or damage turn up, the report says so, and the buyer, seller and lender decide what comes next. Often the seller arranges treatment and a carpenter's estimate for any damaged wood, and the treatment record goes into the closing file. Who pays for what is settled in the purchase agreement.
Keep it in proportion. Damage in a century-old house is usually slow and often old; the real questions are whether the colony is still active and whether any wood needs a carpenter.
The technician can often price termite treatment at the same visit, so the sale isn't held up waiting for a second trip. Structural repairs go to a contractor.
How often should an east-side homeowner get a termite inspection?
A yearly check is a sensible habit for older east-side houses. An inspection also makes sense whenever you see a swarm, find mud tubes, buy a house or plan a remodel that opens walls or floors. Homes with bait stations are checked on the monitoring schedule instead of a separate inspection.
Spring is popular because swarms make activity obvious, but termites keep feeding underground through the winter, so an inspection is useful in any season. Fall and winter visits are often easier to schedule.
The guide to termites in central Indiana explains what makes a house more attractive to a colony and what you can check yourself between visits.
