Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, WA Home Inspector (King of the House)

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Wood Destroying Organisms Everywhere

At Bellingham Technical College, in the fundamentals of home inspection course the day students learn about wood destroying organisms, it is accurate to say that there are signs of wood destroying organisms everywhere.

Between the BTC collection of damaged wood, and a few pieces that are brought along by ace troubleshooter Dan Suomi -- Washington State Department of Agriculture -- we really do have a smorgasbord of damage.

I took a shot of a few of the samples of damaged wood during a break the other day. Everything, board after board, was piled one on top of the other, so it made an interesting sight. 

That wood pile includes teredo damage, anboiid beetle damage, buprestid beetle damage, cerambycid beetle damage, lyctid beetle damage, carpenter ant damage, termite damage and our old friend wood rot.

Wouldn't you know it? During the course of the lecture we had to take a break in class because my old nemesis, inspector Charles Buell, called from Shoreline with an urgent question for Dan. He knew where to find Dan that day. Since the question involved Charlie's secret stash of rare ants, Dan was the man to call.

Here we have a photo of Dan, talking on my phone, and. obviously,  nodding off as Charlie goes on about his ants.

Had it not been for the call from Charlie, poor Dan would not have gotten any rest and relaxation that day.

Thanks for stopping by,

Steven L. Smith

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Comments

That's a lot more bug info thatn I wanted to know right before lunch. Interesting though.

Posted by Rich Murray - GRI, ABR (PMNC, Cary, NC) almost 2 years ago

Steve, I love being useful in so many different ways

Posted by Charles Buell, Seattle Home Inspector (Charles Buell Inspections.com) almost 2 years ago

Steve,

Did Dan really get a call or was it one of those phony calls to grab a wink or two?

Also do I need to be inspecting for RAER Ants now too ; ) I heard they are really dangerous!

 

Don

Posted by Donald Hester NCW Home Inspections, LLC (NCW Home Inspections, LLC) almost 2 years ago

Don,

I had missed the typo.

Posted by Steven L. Smith, Bellingham, Wa. Home Inspector (King of the House Home Inspection, Inc) almost 2 years ago
So excited I found this article as it made tnhgis much quicker!
Posted by Jenelle 8 months ago
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Posted by xqhxrreztyd 8 months ago

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