Woodworm

There are over two million buildings world-wide affected by insects every year and this can create massive financial implications for the owners of homes and businesses alike. It is advisable to call-in professional pest control experts as soon as creepy-crawlies of any kind are noticed. The main problem is that infestations often go unseen until it is too late when adult beetles emerge through holes in the timber. In which case, the damage has already been done and the strength of the infected wood will be reduced dramatically.

Woodworm is the biggest enemy of floorboards and the problem is more common in the south of England but there are many species of wood-boring beetles throughout the UK with countless variations in lifecycle. The contamination in some regions includes species that are more prolific than others, and each individual type has their own preferred timbers that they like to infest. The Floorfixer team has found the Common Furniture Beetle to be the most prolific in the area we cover throughout Leicestershire and the immediately surrounding counties of Rutland, South Nottingham and Derby, North Warwickshire and Northants.

Some people actually think that tiny woodworm holes peppering an old wooden surface can add character. However, this does not necessarily mean the critters are still there, as it is most likely that they became dormant many years ago. These unwanted insects are able to live in all climatic environments but they typically prefer it to be warm and damp. If the right conditions prevail woodworm can infest almost anywhere in a building, but as we focus our attention specifically on wood floor renovation this is the only area where we seem to notice an infestation.

The term Woodworm actually refers to the larvae of all types of timber-boring beetles such as the common variety found in furniture and floorboards, right up to the dreaded Death-Watch and House Longhorn Beetles. The larvae burrow inside the wood eating their way through until they pupate and hatch out into "flight-holes" on the surface. Noticing small holes will be the first indication that an infestation has taken place, but this does not mean the problem still exists. You cannot be certain that the woodworm remains active unless fine powder-like sawdust can be seen around the holes. One of our wood floor restorers unexpectedly saw an adult beetle emerging from inside a skirting board once when he was edge-sanding, and he was absolutely terrified. In fact he hasn't been the same since!

As with all wood flooring, the best form of defence for preventing a woodworm infestation is adequate ventilation and low humidity levels. It is because of a poor climatic environment in buildings over the years, that these tiny pests are responsible for much of the erosion and damage in historical buildings which is ruining our cultural heritage. The good news is that the more common furniture beetles have declined in recent years due to the installation of central heating which actually reduces humidity, and the woodworm will only successfully complete its full life-cycle when timbers are in a warm and damp environment.

Conventional household and contents insurance rarely covers for woodworm infestation. Some well known Pest Control companies offer insurance and a guarantee after treatment, which will give confidence to any purchaser if the property is sold in the future. Any coating such as varnish or paint must be stripped off to ensure surfaces are back to bare wood before treating for woodworm, and Floorfixer who are wood floor sanding experts, have often been called-in by Pest Control Specialists to sand the floor in preparation for their remedy.

Our company will be pleased to carry out the treatment for you but we do not offer any guarantee to completely eliminate the problem altogether because sometimes, there is no 'quick-fix' for this problem. We use ProBor which is a ready to use water-based product containing Boron - a wood preservative applied by brush or spray. Off the shelf insecticides available generally may only penetrate just below the surface and not reach right down to the infestation, even when left for a period of time to sink in. The treatment may seem to have worked initially, but even experts in this field can take several years to bring the problem completely under control.

© Copyright 2024 Mister Group. All Rights Reserved.