You can get information on water testing from your county cooperative extension center. All should be tested for efficient and safe operation. Ask the owner for any records of service and repair. The most destructive insect is the termite, which eats the interior of studs and joists. Termites may cause much damage before they are detected.
Termite inspection is required by most lenders.
This may indicate the presence of carpenter ants. Unlike termites, carpenter ants do not eat wood, but they do nest in it. They are most likely to attack wood that has already begun to rot. These ants may also be heard within walls and may even be spotted inside the house in the winter. This may indicate the presence of the powder-post beetle.