Wood Destroying Organisms – WDO Inspection

Wood Destroying Organisms (WDO) is cause for great concern amongst homeowners, buyers, and sellers. For this reason, as certified home inspectors, we are knowledgeable about these creatures and the importance of a complete WDO inspection on your home.

The most common and destructive wood-destroying organism is the termite with 20 established termite species, Florida remains the state with the highest termite diversity in mainland United States. Among these 20 termite species, six of them are invasive, including major structural pest species that can cause significant damage in and around the home.

Although commonly referred to as a “termite inspection,” WDO stands for “wood-destroying organism,” and a proper WDO inspection looks for evidence of infestation by termites (both subterranean and dry wood types), wood decay, wood-boring beetles, as well as evidence of past infestations, damage to wood, fungus-like dry rot, wet rot or conditions conducive to infestation; and evidence of past treatments.

Unlike most states, the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) requires the licensed WDO Inspector to report on Wood Destroying Organisms. Most states only require the reporting of Wood Destroying Insects.

We at Sterling Home Inspection Services are here to help you better understand the damage the wood-destroying insects can do to your home and the preventative measures that can be taken.