A written inspection of a house and its foundation for subterranean termites, covering the structure, the soil edge, the crawl space and the yard.
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A subterranean termite inspection checks the structure and the soil around a house for evidence of termite activity, including mud tubes, soil contact, sounded wood and moisture. In Lafayette Parish, where Formosan termites are established, the inspection is set up to look for that species as well as the common native ones, and the result is written down.
Most people book a termite inspection for one of three reasons: they have seen something, they are buying or selling a house, or a previous owner left a warranty or report they cannot make sense of. Each reason shapes the questions, but the inspection itself follows the same logic. It looks for evidence, records what it finds and says plainly what it could not reach.
A crawl space, a slab edge and a finished interior are very different places to check. A slab house hides its foundation under flooring and drywall. A raised house gives access underneath but may have stored boxes and damp insulation in the way. An inspection that does not say which parts it could and could not see is not giving the whole picture.
This page sets out what a subterranean inspection looks at in the Lafayette Parish setting, why the soil side matters as much as the wood, and how to read a written report without taking a clean result as a guarantee.
Crawl spaces can hold standing water, mold, sharp wire and insulation that irritates the skin and lungs. Wear gloves, a mask and eye protection, and do not enter a crawl space with a low clearance or a wet floor without a clear way out. Keep children and pets away from the access hatch, and do not disturb soil that has been treated.
Before the structure is looked at, the inspector notes the type of foundation, the access to any crawl space, the age and finish of the interior and anything stored or piled that could hide evidence.
The perimeter is walked and the slab edge, piers, block walls and porch footings are checked for mud tubes and for soil bridging the foundation line.
Sill plates, floor joists, sub-floor and the wood in and around plumbing are sounded and probed. Moisture readings are taken where the wood feels damp, because wet wood is the wood termites prefer.
The report lists the areas checked, the findings with photographs, the areas that could not be reached and the recommended next step. A clean report describes what was seen, which is not the same as a guarantee that nothing is there.
It starts outside, moves to the foundation and crawl space, then reaches the structure and the moisture picture, and ends with a written account of what was and was not seen.
The order matters because the outside gives the first clues. Mud tubes and soil bridges at the foundation tell the inspector where to look inside. The soil level against the siding, the mulch and any stacked wood at the perimeter are noted, since those are the places a colony finds easy access.
Inside, the crawl space or the slab edge comes next. The inspector looks at the piers, the block walls, the joists and the underside of the sub-floor. Wood in contact with soil, or with a wet crawl space floor, is probed. Moisture readings show where the wood is damp enough to suit a colony.
The living space is checked last, at the baseboards, door frames, window sills and any wall where plumbing runs. The inspector may open an inspection hole in a closet or behind a removable panel if a reading is high.
Subterranean termites live in soil and reach wood through it. A house that looks sound in its frame can still have a route into the structure through soil contact at the slab edge, a pier or a wall plate, so the soil side is part of the check.
A mud tube is a covered passage built by workers to keep their route moist and protected while they travel between soil and wood. A tube on a pier or a foundation wall shows that a route exists, even if the wood behind it looks clean. Tubes can be broken and rebuilt quickly, so a tube seen once is a finding, and a tube that comes back is a pattern.
Soil bridges are another route. Dirt built up against wood siding, a porch step, a wood porch post or a slab edge that has settled can connect the ground to the structure. The inspection records these and recommends correcting the ones that are within the owner's power to fix.
In Lafayette Parish the soil side carries an extra weight, because Formosan termites are established here. A plan that checks only the wood above the foundation is not checking the route that species is most likely to use.
An inspection can find evidence and show the likely areas of activity, but it cannot see inside every wall, floor or hollow beam. A written report should say what was checked and what was not reachable.
A wall with finished drywall and a tiled floor can hide galleries from a visual check, and a probe can only reach the wood it touches. The report should say which walls, closets and floors were examined and which were not, because a homeowner needs that to judge how far a clean result goes.
Moisture readings are a snapshot. A wet crawl space after heavy rain may read very differently from the same space in a dry month, which is why the report should give the conditions on the day. A reading is evidence of conditions that suit termites, not proof of a colony by itself.
A clean inspection is still useful. It records the state of the house on a date, it names the risks and it gives the owner a baseline for the next check. That baseline is the most valuable part of a report for someone who will keep the house for years.
Read the findings, the limits and the recommendations separately. A finding is what was seen, a limit is what was not seen, and a recommendation is what the inspector thinks should happen next.
Start with the findings and the photographs. Each finding should name the location, describe what was seen and say whether it is active or old. An old gallery in a sill that has since been repaired is a different matter from a live tube on the pier.
Next read the limits. A report that lists no limits is a warning sign, because every inspection has them. Note which areas were not accessible and whether the inspector recommends opening them, and ask what it would take to open them.
Last, read the recommendations and ask about the order. Some recommendations are quick, such as clearing a soil bridge or moving wood off the foundation. Others are larger. Ask which items are urgent, which can wait for a later check and what the cost depends on, without expecting a figure on the phone.
Clear access to the crawl space, the closets and the perimeter, and say which areas have had repairs or treatment in the past. Moving stored items away from walls is the most useful preparation.
Clear a path to any crawl space hatch and to the foot of the perimeter. Move stored boxes, cardboard and wood pieces away from the walls, because the inspector needs to see the foundation and the bottom of the framing. If a closet or cabinet hides a wall the inspector may need to see, leave it accessible.
Tell the inspector about past repairs, past treatments and any known leaks. A previous termite treatment, a replaced sill or a patched slab crack changes what the inspector looks for and where.
Note any sign you have already seen, with a date and a photograph if you can. A swarm, a tube or a bubble of paint in a specific place is much easier to check than a general worry.
The foundation is a concrete slab, so the soil edge and the wall plates at the perimeter carry most of the evidence. Interior walls on a slab can hide galleries from view, so the check depends on the edges and on moisture readings.
Access underneath lets the inspector see the joists, piers and sub-floor directly. The main limit is stored items, damp insulation and low clearance, which the report should name.
Formosan subterranean termites are established in Lafayette Parish according to a 1999-2001 Louisiana survey, so the inspection is set up to look for that species as well as the native ones.
Owner-occupied homes make up 53.1 percent of the city and 65.5 percent of the parish (2020-2024 ACS), so most inspections are read by the people who will pay for and live with the repairs.
Humid, wet seasons make the crawl space and the soil edge the places to read moisture most carefully.
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Inspection and treatment for Formosan subterranean termites, a species a Louisiana survey lists as established in Lafayette Parish.
A written assessment of termite damage in the structure, with the extent of the damage, the wood affected and the report a repair or an insurer may need.
A check for the water problems that wet the soil and wood at a house, and a plan to fix or refer each one, from outdoor faucets to roof and pipe leaks.
An inspection of the house and nearby trees after termite swarmers or shed wings appear, during the late-spring swarm season.
Yes, according to a 1999-2001 Louisiana survey published through the LSU repository, which lists Lafayette Parish among the parishes where Formosan subterranean termites are established.
After a swarm, LSU AgCenter advises inspecting both the home and the trees, because a swarm points to a nearby infestation.
LSU AgCenter prevention advice for Lafayette Parish is short: remove wood, cardboard and cellulose from around the home, keep mulch 8 to 12 inches from the foundation, and fix outdoor faucet drips and roof or pipe leaks.
In Louisiana, the Department of Agriculture and Forestry (LDAF) runs the structural pest control licensing through its Structural Pest Control Commission, which was created within the department.
A termite inspection looks for evidence of activity in and around a house: mud tubes, soil contact, sounded wood, moisture and the swarm trail.
It is a common and sensible step, and many buyers ask for one. The report sets out what was found, what could not be reached and what the next step is, which helps a buyer decide what to negotiate or check further.
The report should say so, and the owner should be told what that leaves unchecked. Clearing access and booking a second visit is usually the answer.
Not usually. It can show whether the damage looks old or active, and whether a gallery is empty or fresh, but a date is rarely something the wood alone can settle.
A clean report describes the house on the day it was checked. It is not a guarantee, and it does not cover areas that could not be reached. Read the limits section before relying on it.
There is no single answer. A house with a known history, a swarm nearby or a damp crawl space may need checking more often than one without those factors. Ask for a schedule written into the report.
Any charge is agreed in writing before the inspection starts, and no figure is given on this site or over the phone before that. Calling to ask is free.