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Hidden in Plain Sight

Hey everyone, Eric Christie with Boxer Inspections. I want to share a item from an inspection recently out in the Fulshear area. I was performing a new construction inspection, specifically at the pre-drywall stage. This is a really critical time to look at the "bones" of a house before the insulation & drywall go up and everything gets covered. As a home inspector Houston residents trust, I see a lot of different things on job sites, but what I found this time was a little tricky. One of the key items I look for in new construction is how the builders are protecting the wood framing. It is actually a requirement for builders to protect the wood framing from subterranean termite attacks. Typically, they handle this by applying a borate treatment, directly to the framing at this stage of the build. Usually, this treatment is pretty easy to spot. The pest control company put a dye in the chemical mixture to make sure it is visible to everyone, including the home inspection Houston pros who come through to check the work. In the past, I would walk in and clearly see the treated areas because of this bright green dye. However, when I first walked into this particular house, my initial thought was that they hadn't done it at all. I even took a picture and made a note that the treatment was missing. But I decided to look closer before leaving. When I looked closer, I noticed a very faint line. It was just a little bit green, which is the color they typically use for these treatments. It turns out, the treatment likely had been done, but the dye was barely visible. This looks like a change in how some crews are doing treatments. I suspect that the guys applying the treatment are reducing the amount of dye they put in the mixture. While this might save them a little bit of money on the cost of the dye, it makes my job much harder. It becomes very difficult for us to determine with certainty whether the safety measures have been taken. This experience really highlights why you need a sharp eye on your side. If you are just searching for a "home inspector near me" and picking the first name you see, you might miss someone who takes the time to look closely at these faint details. If you are buying a home or building a new one, you need to make sure every corner is checked, even the ones that look fine at first glance. If you want to get your property inspected, please call us today at 281-783-3030. I’m Eric Christie with Boxer Inspections, and I hope you have a great day. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Questions to Ask Your Builder About Termite Protection: • What specific method are you using to protect the wood framing from subterranean termites? (Ask if they are using a borate treatment or another method). • How can we visually verify that the treatment has been applied? (Ask if they use a visible dye so you and your inspector can clearly see that the work was done).