In the Phoenix metro, the termite question is rarely if and usually when. The desert subterranean termite (Heterotermes aureus) is native to our soil and forages across virtually every East Valley neighborhood. A slab home does not keep them out; they enter through expansion joints, plumbing penetrations, and hairline cracks in the concrete it sits on.
A real inspection is methodical, not a glance at the garage. A trained inspector works the entire structure inside and out, which takes 30 to 60 minutes on a typical slab home. NEARPEST inspections are free for homeowners, so there is no reason to guess about what is happening under your baseboards.
This guide walks through what a professional checks, then gives you a pre-inspection walkthrough you can do yourself with a flashlight.
Why desert subterranean termites are different
They stay active year-round because the soil never freezes, and in heavy infestations they build free-hanging drop tubes from ceilings — a classic Sonoran Desert sign that startles homeowners. Smaller, drier, and sneakier is the honest summary, and it is why annual inspections matter even when nothing looks wrong.
The stem wall: where every inspection starts
An inspector walks the entire perimeter, moving aside vegetation and stored items, because tubes favor the shaded stretches behind shrubs, AC units, and patio furniture. One short tube confirms activity. We also check where soil or gravel sits above the stem wall line, since buried concrete gives termites a hidden bridge into the framing.
Inside: garage joints, bath traps, and kickout holes
Bathrooms hide the other classic entry: the bath trap, an open soil void under the tub left for plumbing access. It is warm, humid, and connects directly to the ground — ideal termite conditions. If there is an access panel, a good inspector opens it.
Throughout the interior, we scan drywall and baseboards for kickout holes: pinholes ringed with dirt, where termites broke through the paper face and resealed it with soil. Blistered paint, wavy baseboards, and a hollow sound under tapping all get flagged and probed.
Moisture and wood-to-soil contact
Wood-to-soil contact is the other condition we log every time. Fence posts tied into the stem wall, trellises, deck supports, firewood stacked against the house, and thick mulch beds give termites a route that bypasses the concrete. None of it means you have termites — all of it raises the odds.
Your pre-inspection walkthrough
Inside: check the garage expansion joint and wall corners, look under every sink, open the bath trap access panel, and scan baseboards for pinholes, dirt specks, or blistered paint. Run a knuckle along suspect trim and listen for a papery, hollow sound.
Write down what you find and where. None of it confirms or rules out termites on its own — drier desert tubes fool homeowners both ways — but it makes the professional inspection faster. Ours are free for homeowners, with findings in writing.