Why new homeowners and homebuyers should get a thorough pest inspection before they purchase or move into a house?

Should you do a pest inspection before you purchase or move into a new house?
For most Canadians, home is our most important asset. Protecting your home from pests is an important part of home ownership. Recurring or large scale pest problems could have some serious underlying causes. Consumers are facing different kinds of risk depending on the age and type of the structure that they are purchasing. A professional pest control inspection could alert the buyer to issues that do not always stand out in a buyer's home inspection.

For example, recurring rat problems in old or newly-constructed homes could be a sign of an over-time degradation of building materials or a sizeable construction defect. A persistent cockroach infestation in a condo unit or an attached/linked house could point to a poor exterminator performance or the presence of a neighbour who is not properly maintaining their dwelling. A variety of insects and rodents end up finding access to, or settling in, particular homes because of structural damage, water leaks, deteriorating exterior walls, etc.

These problems are not always visible on the surface may slip through the cracks in a routine  buyer's home inspection. Such problems may also be hard to detect because of the changing habits of a home's existing owners. Pests could be temporarily receding or becoming less active as a result of a pest control intervention, renovations, or the simple fact that their food sources have altered as dwelling units have been deep cleaned or left vacant for a prolonged period. The above factors may end up making persistent pest problems less likely to be noticed by home inspectors or potential buyers. 

A professional pest inspector will know where to look for the signs of persistent pest problems. They will also have access to a proper detection technology.

An experienced exterminator will be able to alert prospective buyers or new homeowners to many such issues. As a result, homeowners will be able to take proactive and comprehensive remedial action which ensures consumers can enjoy a pest-free environment in the long term.