Bugs?

I'm in the middle of purchasing a home built in the 1950's. The latest infestation report from Arrow (I believe) says there is no evidence of current or past problems with any type of wood-destroying insects. However, every beam and board for the house's floor, when viewed in the crawl space, has tiny holes all over them. The holes are about the diameter of a pencil lead, they are quite shallow - maybe 1/8 of an inch, and almost perfectly round. I had to press the issue a little with the home inspector, but he wrote it up, agreeing with me that it seemed very unusual. The wood seems very strong, and there appeared to be no damage beyond the holes. They are very numerous, seem to be everywhere in the basement, but not in any regular pattern. There is no contact of wood with the ground except for the deck supports that are in the front of the house. Some of the wood appears to have a dark stain on it , as though something was brushed on it, very irregularly. Inspector said it almost looked like oil. To me, it looked a little like brown paint. It doesn't feel any different to my fingers. Everything is very dry. Plastic sheeting covers about half the dirt floor. Furnace and AC are in the crawl space - nothing else. Any ideas about the holes?

Thanks, beekay

Reply to
beekay
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:) I'm in the middle of purchasing a home built in the 1950's. The latest :) infestation report from Arrow (I believe) says there is no evidence of :) current or past problems with any type of wood-destroying insects. However, :) every beam and board for the house's floor, when viewed in the crawl space, :) has tiny holes all over them. The holes are about the diameter of a pencil :) lead, they are quite shallow - maybe 1/8 of an inch, and almost perfectly :) round. I had to press the issue a little with the home inspector, but he :) wrote it up, agreeing with me that it seemed very unusual. The wood seems :) very strong, and there appeared to be no damage beyond the holes. They are :) very numerous, seem to be everywhere in the basement, but not in any regular :) pattern. There is no contact of wood with the ground except for the deck :) supports that are in the front of the house. Some of the wood appears to :) have a dark stain on it , as though something was brushed on it, very :) irregularly. Inspector said it almost looked like oil. To me, it looked a :) little like brown paint. It doesn't feel any different to my fingers. :) Everything is very dry. Plastic sheeting covers about half the dirt floor. :) Furnace and AC are in the crawl space - nothing else. :) Any ideas about the holes?

I would be concerned of a possible, past powder post beetle problem. And the bigger concern would be that the "inspector" did not notate them. If you know people in the area you might ask around to find someone who a friend may trust to do another inspection, not necessarily another WDI/WDO report but just a look around for another professional opinion. Anyone you find, you may ask if they are familiar with PPB signs. If there was an active problem, you would of seen a lot of powder wood particles on the ground under the beams.

Lar. (to e-mail, get rid of the BUGS!!

It is said that the early bird gets the worm, but it is the second mouse that gets the cheese.

Reply to
Lar

Here is a link to a photo of the problem I just described

Reply to
beekay

Sorry I forgot the link!

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Reply to
beekay

:) Sorry I forgot the link! :) :)

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:) You might also repost your original message along with the pic link at
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You may get answers from PCO's that mainly deal with various wood borers.

Lar. (to e-mail, get rid of the BUGS!!

It is said that the early bird gets the worm, but it is the second mouse that gets the cheese.

Reply to
Lar

I would check with the state extension agent. South Carolina, at least, has a first rate system and monitors termite companies closely.

TB

Reply to
Tom Baker

Sure looks like some sort of insect to me, but I would suspect some sort of wood eating beatle. Try this link...

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or this one...

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Have your lawyer talk to the seller about the legality of disclosure laws, or the arrow company... And ask for your money back from your home inspector. If every beam in the house looks like that it would be very hard for them to miss.

Note - my house has one beam with powderpost damage... and while the the realtor and inspector both claimed "it looks inactive" I later learned that there is no real way to know unless you know the house has been treated, (tented and bombed at about x10 the normal dose). On the other hand, the pest control inspectors said that any damage would likely take 50 years to progress.

Reply to
Bonzo

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