How To Read A Termite Inspection Report Without Getting Overwhelmed

Confused by your termite report? Learn how to read findings, sections, and recommendations so you can make clear decisions about your Bay Area home.

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About the Author: Jameson Elam is the owner and operator of Good Sense Termite, serving Alameda, Santa Clara, San Mateo, and Santa Cruz counties. With over 14 years of hands-on experience in the termite control industry, Jameson specializes in thorough inspections, accurate diagnostics, and long-term solutions tailored to California homes. His deep knowledge of local termite behavior and building structures has made Good Sense Termite a trusted name for homeowners and real estate professionals alike.

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That Moment You Open The Report And Regret Clicking

You did the right thing. You scheduled a termite inspection.Then the report arrives, and your eyes hit:

• Codes

• Sections

• Maps

• Descriptions that sound serious but not clear

You are supposed to make decisions about treatment, repairs, and sometimes real estate timelines from this. It should not feel like reading a foreign language test.

At Good Sense Termite, we write reports for real people, not just other inspectors. This post walks through how to read a termite report so you can:

• Understand what is actually happening

• Sort urgent items from longer term concerns

• Ask better questions before you agree to anything

You do not need a license to read your own report. You just need a simple way to look at it.

Step 1: Start With The Map, Not The Panic

Most reports have:

• A diagram or sketch of the structure

• Labels for sides or rooms

• References like “north wall,” “bathroom 1,” or “area A”

Before you dig into pages of notes, look at the diagram and find:

• Which rooms have marks or notes

• Which sides of the house show activity or damage

• Whether the crawlspace or attic was included and marked

You want a basic sense of:

• Where the inspector actually saw problems

• Whether they are scattered or clustered

If you see a lot of notes on one side of the house or under one part of the structure, that tells you more than any code by itself.

Step 2: Know The Difference Between Findings And Conditions

A good report separates:

1. Findings

   • Actual termites

   • Fungus damage

   • Clear structural issues

2. Conditions

   • High soil

   • Moisture problems

   • Earth to wood contact

   • Inaccessible areas

Both matter, but they are not the same.

You can use a simple mental filter:

• Findings = “This is happening now.”

• Conditions = “This makes future problems more likely.”

If your report mixes everything into one big list, ask the company to clarify which items are active problems and which are risk factors.

Step 3: Understand What “Section 1” And “Section 2” Usually Mean

In many California style reports, items are grouped like this:

• Section 1

  • Evidence of active infestation or infection

  • Termites, fungus, or damage that already exists

  • Areas that usually need treatment or repair

• Section 2

  • Conditions that are likely to lead to infestation or infection if left alone

  • Things like earth to wood contact, leaks, or improper grading

Think of it this way:

• Section 1 is “this problem is here.”

• Section 2 is “this problem will likely show up later if you ignore it.”

Both sections are important. Section 1 is usually more urgent. Section 2 is where you can often protect your future self.

If your report uses different labels, the ideas are still similar. There will be a group for active stuff and a group for risk stuff.

Step 4: Match The Words To Actual Places In Your Home

Report language might say:

• “Subterranean termite tubes at west foundation stem wall, rear bathroom area.”

• “Fungus damage at subfloor under hall bath, moderate.”

• “Drywood termite pellets at living room window frame, south wall.”

That is useful if you know what those areas are in real life.

Take a pen and:

• Mark those spots on the diagram

• Write the room names you use

• Note whether they line up with past issues, leaks, or repairs

You are trying to answer:

• Is this a one time surprise

• Is this a repeat theme

• Is this under or near a high moisture spot like a bathroom, kitchen, or deck

Once you connect the report to actual rooms, it feels less abstract and more like a real story about your house.

Step 5: Pay Attention To “Inaccessible” And “Limited Access” Notes

Many reports include lines like:

• “Crawlspace inaccessible due to low clearance.”

• “Attic inspection limited by insulation and framing.”

• “Areas behind built in cabinets not inspected.”

These are not throwaway lines. They tell you:

• Parts of the structure were not seen

• Any statement about “no visible evidence” does not apply to those spots

Important questions to ask yourself:

• Are these inaccessible areas under or near rooms that have had past problems

• Is there any reasonable way to improve access if needed

• Do these limits change how confident you feel about the overall report

If large sections of the house could not be inspected, you are not being picky by wanting more explanation. You are being realistic.

Step 6: Look At The Recommended Work As A Plan, Not Just A Bill

Most reports end with:

• Recommended treatments

• Suggested repairs

• Sometimes a cost estimate

Do not read that last page in isolation. Compare the recommended work to:

• The findings and conditions you already marked

• The rooms and sides of the house that keep showing up

• The access limits that were noted earlier

Ask yourself:

• Does the treatment plan cover the areas where problems were actually found

• Does it ignore any clear patterns you see in the map

• Does it address both the insects and the conditions that help them

For example:

• If Subterranean termites were found under the back bathroom, but the plan only treats a small spot at the baseboard inside, that does not match the story.

• If repeat damage keeps showing up near a deck, but the deck area is not in the plan at all, that is worth asking about.

The best plans line up with the map, the findings, and the conditions, not just with a standard template.

Step 7: Sort Items Into Three Lists

To make decisions easier, rewrite the report into three simple lists:

1. Urgent

   • Active termites or fungus in structural areas

   • Issues that could grow quickly or affect safety

2. Important

   • Conditions that are likely to cause problems within a few years if ignored

   • Repairs that protect recent or future work, like new floors or remodels

3. Preventive / Long Term

   • Items that improve overall health of the structure but are not time sensitive

You can then plan:

• What needs action soon

• What can be grouped with other projects

• What you will monitor over time

If your report does not make it clear which items belong in which list, that is a good reason to call the inspector and ask.

Step 8: Questions You Should Feel Comfortable Asking

You are allowed to ask for clear, respectful explanations. Some good questions:

• “Which items in this report are truly urgent, and why”

• “If this were your house, what would you address in the next 6 to 12 months”

• “What areas could not be inspected, and how does that affect your confidence”

• “Are there simpler options for treatment that fit my situation, and what would I be giving up with each choice”

If the answers feel rushed, vague, or defensive, that tells you as much as the report itself.

How Good Sense Termite Writes And Explains Reports

Our goal is simple: when you read your report, you should recognize your house, not feel like you are reading about a stranger’s.

We focus on:

• Clear diagrams and photo documentation

• Straightforward descriptions in plain language

• Honest commentary about what we saw and what we could not see

• Treatment and repair recommendations that match your home’s actual conditions

For homeowners who are not in active escrow, inspections are free. For homes in escrow, we provide fee based inspections that meet real estate requirements.

We are not trying to see how many lines we can fill. We are trying to show you what is going on and what to do about it.

TLDR: Making Sense Of Termite Reports

Quick takeaways:

• Start with the diagram and match it to your real rooms

• Separate active problems from risk conditions

• Pay attention to access limits, not just positive or negative findings

• Make sure the recommended treatments track with the mapped issues

• Turn the report into three lists: urgent, important, and long term

FAQ: Termite Reports And Next Steps

Q: Is a long report automatically bad news?

A: Not always. A thorough report can be long because it is detailed, not because your house is falling apart. The key is what is urgent versus what is background information.

Q: Should I get a second opinion if I do not understand the report?

A: If the company cannot or will not explain their own report clearly, getting a second opinion is reasonable, especially for larger jobs.

Q: What if the report says “no evidence” but also has “inaccessible” areas?

A: “No evidence” only applies to the areas that were actually inspected. Inaccessible areas are unknowns, not proofs of safety.

Final Thoughts: You Are Allowed To Understand Your Own Report

You should not need a translator to know what is happening in your own house.

If your termite report leaves you more confused than informed, the problem is not you. It is the way the information is presented.

If you want a report and explanation that line up with each other and with what you see in your home, we are ready.

Schedule an inspection with Good Sense Termite. We will look carefully, explain clearly, and help you turn paperwork into an actual plan.

It is just Good Sense.