What’s a WDO Inspection in Florida, Really?

If you’ve bought or sold a home down here in Florida, you’ve probably run into the term WDO inspection and wondered what in the world that means. WDO stands for wood destroying organism, and in Florida that mostly means termites. A WDO inspection, which most folks just call a termite inspection, is a visual check of a home looking for termites, powderpost beetles, wood decay fungus, and anything else that likes to eat the wood holding your house together.

I get asked about this almost every week out here in the Tampa Bay area. We’ve got the warm, humid weather that termites love, so Florida sees more termite activity than almost anywhere else in the country. Subterranean termites are the big one around here. They build thin mud tubes up foundation walls and can chew through framing, trim, and even furniture for months before anyone notices.

What Gets Checked During a WDO Inspection

During a WDO inspection, a licensed pest control inspector walks the whole property inside and out, checking the attic, any crawl space, baseboards, window and door frames, the garage, and every spot where wood meets soil or concrete. Here’s generally what they’re looking for:

• Mud tubes running up the foundation walls
• Soft or hollow sounding wood near doors and windows
• Tiny pinholes or sawdust like droppings called frass
• Old treatment markers left behind by pest control companies

Here’s something a lot of people don’t realize. A WDO inspection isn’t actually required by Florida law. But almost every mortgage lender asks for one before they’ll approve a loan, especially on an FHA or VA loan, or a cash out refinance. So even if nobody is forcing you to get one, you’ll probably need that report anyway before you can close on the house.

If you’re buying or selling a home here in the Tampa Bay area, give me a call for your home inspection, wind mitigation inspection, or 4-point inspection. A WDO inspection takes a separate, specially licensed pest control inspector, so that one isn’t something I handle myself, but I’m always glad to point you toward someone reputable. Reach out to Fair Property Inspections and let’s get the rest of your home checked out the right way.