Several Houses Will Have To Be Demolished Due To Extensive Termite Damages

Living in a home that is infested with bed bugs would be terrible.

However, unlike termites, a bed bug infestation will not result in a home’s eventual demolition. Normally, termite infestations are eradicated promptly as soon as they are discovered. But in some situations, landlords may ignore termite infestations that are occuring on their property. This is never a wise idea, as unchecked termite infestations can eventually lead to entire houses being reduced to rubble.

Buildings Reduced To Rubble Due To Termites

This scenario is becoming a reality for several landlords in the city of Bellaire, Ohio. After several months of issuing warnings, one inspector in the city is having several houses labeled as “condemned”. These homes will have to be demolished due to extensive damages. Termite infestations are to blame in many of these cases.

According to Dick Flanagan, a Bellaire Code Enforcement Officer, some homes may appear structurally sound despite being hazardous to the people living within them. This is why Flanagan believes that a home’s internal conditions should also be investigated during routine inspections. As a result of Flanagan’s relatively thorough approach toward home inspections, many more homes than usual are being deemed “unlivable”. Termite damage is often cited as one of the reasons for a home’s condemnation under Flanagan’s authority.

In one case, Flanagan noticed a termite infestation on one questionable home while being interviewed by a local news station. In this case, Flanagan noticed the visible infestation before he entered the house. Despite the vast amounts of snow that draped the home, an active termite nest was still discovered from the outside.

Flanagan began citing several landlords in the city last fall for code violations. Many of these warnings went ignored by the homeowners. Now that several months have passed, Flanagan is having many of these homes condemned and scheduled for demolition. So far two houses and one commercial property have already been torn down under Flanigan’s watch.

Consequences Of Termite Damage In TX

Do you believe that home inspectors should take a hard-line approach toward termite infestations that are discovered in homes?