We are fortunate that Western Washington doesn’t have a lot of pests that cause damage to homes but we do have a few that are problematic. Here are the top five worst pests you may encounter when buying a home in Olympia, Washington.
Termites are rare in our area but there are pockets of subterranean termites throughout Olympia.
The reason why finding termites here is rare is because subterranean termites like loamy soil, not the hard clay and rocky soil that is commonly found in Olympia. In fact, a termite inspection is not required here.
You’ll find subterranean termites in the crawl space. They build mud tubes from the dirt up to the wood sill plate and start eating the wood causing damage. Your inspector will also be looking for frass or what looks like piles of sawdust.
You can treat for termites and then correct the conditions to keep them away like making sure the crawlspace is dry, eliminating wood-to-soil contact, and not stacking firewood next to the house.
Powderpost Beetles are another wood-boring insect that likes to burrow in the timbers under a home in the crawlspace. These are usually found in older homes and they like unheated, moist conditions which would be your crawlspace. Home inspectors will notice tiny holes in the wood and that indicates a beetle infestation.
Carpenter Ants are the most commonly found wood-destroying insects in the Pacific Northwest. They do not eat the wood but they destroy wood when building their nests. They prefer to nest in moist or decaying wood. Typically, carpenter ants stay in the woods but your wood-frame home can look just like another wood pile to ants. Your home inspector may notice sawdust piles and may see the winged ants flying in the spring.
Rodents. Rats and mice are the most common pest that will be discovered in the crawlspace and/or attic during a home inspection. Rats like to use insulation for nesting materials. They may chew through ducts to find a nice warm place to nest. They also will gnaw through wire, wood, and even pipes.
Rodents are highly unsanitary and leave behind feces and urine that spreads diseases like salmonella and the Hantavirus.
Bird feeders and pet food left outside are two of the biggest attractors of rats to your home. And rats and mice can squeeze through openings as small as your pinky finger to get into your home. Make sure all entrances to the crawl space and vents are screened properly to prevent rodents from entering the crawl space.
And the #1 pest in Olympia is Water. It is very common to find water in the crawlspace. Typically, this is not from leaky pipes but from water coming into the crawlspace from the outside or coming up from the ground.
It is very important that water is diverted away from the house. This will help keep the crawlspace dry and it is an easy fix: Grade the landscaping down and away from the foundation, keep the soil below the crawlspace vents, and make sure gutters are clear and drain away from the house. The excess moisture can cause damage to the wood framing, can be conducive to mold and mildew growth, and termites, beetles and ants also like a moist crawlspace so all good reasons why to keep the crawlspace as dry as possible.
VIDEO: Top 5 Pests in Olympia, WA