Orlando WDO Inspections and Real Estate Termite Reports

In Florida the document a lender, buyer or closing agent asks for is a WDO report, short for wood-destroying organism. It is issued on FDACS Form 13645, which is the only form the state recognizes for a real estate transaction, and it has to be completed under a licensed certified operator. Structural pest control here is governed by Chapter 482 of the Florida Statutes, and the inspection itself by Rule 5E-14.142 of the Florida Administrative Code.

A Florida WDO report is not the same document as the WDIR or NPMA-33 form used in other states, and it covers more than termites. The organisms it addresses include native subterranean termites, Formosan subterranean termites, West Indian drywood termites, powderpost beetles, old house borers and wood-decaying fungi. Carpenter ants are a real nuisance in Central Florida, but they are not a wood-destroying organism under the Florida rule.

What the report actually tells you

The inspector records four things: visible evidence of a live infestation, visible evidence of a previous infestation, visible damage, and whether the structure appears to have been treated before. It is a visual inspection of accessible areas, describing the property on the day it was inspected. It is not a warranty against future termites and it cannot report on what is hidden behind finished walls, inside a tiled slab, or under stored belongings in a garage or attic.

We can also clear what the report finds

Our inspectors are Florida certified and work with Orlando area realtors, relocation companies, sellers and buyers week in and week out. When a report comes back with a finding, we can handle the correction as well: termite treatment, drywood spot treatment, mold remediation and moisture correction. That matters, because a finding on a WDO report stalls a closing until somebody qualified signs off on the fix.

Order it early

Central Florida closings run tight. If the report turns up an active infestation, the treatment and the paperwork behind it take days, not hours, so give the transaction room. Call 407-580-7124 and we will get the inspection on the schedule.