A termite inspection done right doesn’t just check a box — it tells you exactly what’s happening inside your home’s walls, framing, and foundation. For Forest Hills homeowners, that information is worth a lot more than people realize until they need it.
Most homes in Forest Hills were built in an era of CBS construction — concrete block exterior, wood-framed interior, wood roof trusses — that sits directly in the crosshairs of Florida’s most destructive termite species. Eastern subterranean termites enter through slab penetrations and wood-to-concrete contact points that are easy to miss without a trained eye. Drywood termites don’t need soil contact at all — they move straight into fascia boards, window frames, and attic framing. In Forest Hills, both are a real and ongoing concern.
What changes after a professional termite inspection is simple: you stop guessing. If there’s activity, you know where it is and what it’s going to take to deal with it before it turns into a five-figure repair bill. If there’s nothing, you have documented proof — which matters enormously if you’re selling, refinancing, or simply trying to protect what’s likely your largest financial asset. Termite damage isn’t covered by homeowner’s insurance in Florida. Every dollar of repair comes out of your pocket. A professional inspection from a licensed operator costs a fraction of what one missed colony can cost you.
Around The Clock Pest Service is a family-owned, owner-operated business based in Spring Hill — right next door to Forest Hills — serving homeowners and homebuyers throughout Hernando County. We started this business in 2020 because we saw too many local Forest Hills residents getting burned by companies that didn’t answer phones, sent out subcontractors, and left people with more questions than answers. That’s not how we work.
When you call, our owner George answers. Not a call center. Not a dispatcher. The owner. Most quotes are given over the phone — no required in-home sales visit, no pressure, no surprises when the invoice shows up. Every inspection we perform is completed by certified, in-house staff. No third-party handoffs.
With over 100 five-star Google reviews from real customers in Hernando and Pasco counties, a BBB A+ rating since 2022, and FDACS License #LF286842 valid through June 2027, our credentials are real and verifiable. We built this company specifically for communities like Forest Hills — where residents want honest answers from someone who actually knows the area, not a franchise rep following a script.
It starts with a phone call. You describe the property, get a clear price upfront, and schedule a time that works for you — including weekends. There’s no obligation to book before you know what it costs, and there’s no sales pitch waiting on the other end of the line.
When our inspector arrives at your Forest Hills home, the assessment covers every area where wood-destroying organisms are known to enter or establish: the exterior foundation, slab perimeter, garage framing, interior load-bearing walls, attic space, fascia and soffit boards, and any wood-to-concrete contact points. In Forest Hills, homes from the 1970s through 1990s often have original wood elements that haven’t been assessed in years — sometimes decades. Our inspector knows what to look for in that specific construction type, and they’re not rushing through to hit a daily quota.
After the inspection, you receive a completed FDACS Form 13645 — the state-mandated Wood-Destroying Organism report required by VA lenders, FHA lenders, and most conventional mortgage servicers at closing. If you’re in a real estate transaction, this is the document your lender needs, and it can only be legally produced by an FDACS-licensed pest control operator. If active infestation or damage is found, you’ll get a clear explanation of what was identified, where it is, and what your options are — before you’re asked to make any decisions.
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A WDO inspection through Around The Clock isn’t limited to live termite activity. Our inspection scope covers all wood-destroying organisms recognized under Florida’s pest control statutes — subterranean termites, drywood termites, wood-boring beetles, and wood-decaying fungi. In Forest Hills, that last category matters more than most people realize. Hernando County’s rainy season runs from June through September, with daily afternoon storms that push moisture into soffits, fascia boards, and any wood with even minor exposure. Fungal decay often appears alongside termite activity and accelerates structural damage when left unaddressed. Both are covered in the report.
For homeowners not in a transaction, we recommend understanding the annual monitoring option. Forest Hills sits in a climate zone where termite colonies don’t go dormant — they feed year-round. An annual inspection creates a documented record of your home’s condition over time, which carries real weight if you ever sell, refinance, or need to make an insurance-related claim. It also means any new activity gets caught early, when treatment is simpler and less expensive, rather than after a colony has had a full season to work through your framing.
For buyers using VA loans — a common financing mechanism in Forest Hills given the area’s above-average veteran population — a WDO inspection isn’t optional. VA loan rules require it for all Florida purchase transactions. Our FDACS-licensed report satisfies that requirement, and our seven-day availability means closing timelines don’t stall waiting for a weekday appointment. Military families also receive a discount — because that’s the right thing to do, and because this community has earned it.
Yes — if you’re using a VA loan to purchase a home in Forest Hills or anywhere else in Florida, a Wood-Destroying Organism inspection is required before closing. The VA mandates this for all purchase transactions in the state, regardless of whether the buyer or seller suspects any termite activity. It’s not discretionary, and your lender will flag it as a missing item if it isn’t completed.
The report must be produced on FDACS Form 13645 by a licensed Florida pest control operator. A general home inspector cannot legally produce this form, and a report from an unlicensed source will not be accepted by your VA lender. We hold FDACS License #LF286842, which is exactly what’s needed to produce a lender-accepted WDO report for your Forest Hills closing. Given Forest Hills’ significant veteran population and the frequency of VA loans in Hernando County, this is something we handle regularly — and our seven-day scheduling availability means your timeline doesn’t have to bend around a Monday-through-Friday appointment window.
In Florida, a WDO inspection — Wood-Destroying Organism inspection — is the broader, legally defined version of what most people call a termite inspection. It covers all wood-destroying organisms, not just termites. That includes subterranean and drywood termite species, wood-boring beetles, and wood-decaying fungi. The distinction matters because in a humid climate like Hernando County’s, fungal decay is a real finding that shows up alongside termite damage, and it affects the structural integrity of wood just as seriously.
A standard termite inspection from a general pest company may only assess for active termite activity. A WDO inspection produces the official FDACS Form 13645 report, which is the document required by lenders for real estate transactions. If you’re buying or selling a home in Forest Hills and someone tells you a basic termite check will satisfy your lender’s requirement, verify that before closing. The report format and the license behind it are what determine whether your lender accepts it — not the inspection itself.
For a standard single-family home in Forest Hills, a WDO inspection typically runs between $75 and $300, depending on the size of the property and the scope of the assessment. Most homes in this part of Hernando County fall in the middle of that range. We provide quotes over the phone before any appointment is scheduled — so you know exactly what you’re paying before anyone shows up at your door.
That cost is worth putting in context. Termite damage repairs in Florida average between $8,000 and $12,000 per incident, with severe cases running well above $20,000. Standard homeowner’s insurance policies don’t cover termite damage — not a dollar of it. For Forest Hills homeowners, many of whom are on fixed or near-fixed incomes, catching a problem early through an annual inspection isn’t an added expense — it’s the most cost-effective protection available for a home that’s likely been appreciating in value for decades.
The most common visible signs in the type of CBS construction that dominates Forest Hills include mud tubes along the exterior foundation or inside the garage, small piles of what looks like sawdust or sand near baseboards or window frames (called frass — it’s digested wood from drywood termites), soft or hollow-sounding wood when you knock on door frames or baseboards, and discarded wings near windowsills or sliding glass door tracks after a swarm.
Spring is the peak swarming season for Eastern Subterranean Termites in Hernando County — typically March through May — and that’s when most Forest Hills homeowners first notice activity. But drywood termites swarm in summer and don’t leave the same visible traces. The challenge with older homes in Forest Hills is that many of the vulnerable areas — original wood framing, roof trusses, interior wall cavities — aren’t visible without a trained inspector who knows where to look. If you’ve seen anything that concerns you, don’t wait on it. Early detection is the difference between a treatment cost and a structural repair bill.
Once a year is the standard recommendation for homes in Hernando County, and it’s not an arbitrary number. Florida’s humid subtropical climate means termite colonies in the Forest Hills area don’t go dormant in winter — they feed continuously, twelve months a year. A colony that wasn’t present during last year’s inspection can establish and begin causing damage within a single season. Annual inspections create a documented record of your home’s condition over time, which is useful not just for peace of mind but for resale value and any future financing or refinancing conversations.
For homes that have never had a professional WDO inspection — which describes a significant number of Forest Hills properties given the age of the local housing stock — the first inspection is the most important one. If you’ve owned your home for more than a few years and haven’t had a licensed pest control operator assess it, that’s the starting point. From there, annual monitoring keeps you ahead of any new activity before it becomes a structural problem.
Yes. If you’re a veteran or active military family purchasing a home in Forest Hills using a VA loan, you qualify for our military family discount on the WDO inspection. Hernando County has one of the higher veteran population percentages in Florida, and VA loans are among the most commonly used financing tools in this market. The discount reflects a straightforward recognition of that — not a promotional tactic, just an acknowledgment that military families in Forest Hills are already navigating a required inspection as part of a mandatory loan process, and a price break is the right way to handle that.
The inspection itself produces the FDACS Form 13645 report your VA lender requires, completed by a licensed pest control operator — so the report will be accepted at closing. We offer scheduling seven days a week, which matters when closing timelines are tight and a Friday afternoon call needs a response before Monday. If you have questions about what the inspection covers or what the report looks like before you book, call and ask — you’ll get a straight answer from the owner, not a voicemail.
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