Woodworm Treatment Services in The South London Area

If you have woodworm in your property or at your business then you have an issue that is not going to go away without expert help. Pest Professionals in South London can assist to provide you with immediate guidance and help if you have woodworm issues in two very simple and effective steps:

The no obligation phone consultation applies to both domestic and business customers in the South London region. No woodworm or timber job is too big or too small for us to take a look at. Where appropriate we are able to advise on any immediate steps needed to protect your health, property or possessions prior to a visit. If a visit is required we let you know if there will be a call out cost and advise on the likely rates of any timber or woodworm treatment should it be necessary.

Treatment of Woodworm and Timber Pests

The extensive use of timber in modern structural applications (floor joists, roof purlins, floorboards, rafters etc.) has intensified the risk that timber pests pose. If left without treatment, these insects will bring about considerable damage, which can eventually lead to structural failure of the building.

Although the adults can fly, woodworm is commonly brought into a home for the first time through the purchase of previously owned furniture pieces and can certainly also cause significant damage to costly wooden furniture, which may be antique.

Woodworm is in fact not a specific species of timber pest, but a generic term for the larval stage of a number of timber damaging beetles.

The Furniture Beetle, a small brown insect which is about 3mm to 5mm in length and flies quite readily, is the commonest. The Furniture Beetle lays its eggs on rough, unpolished wood and once they hatch the grubs bore directly into the wood – disappearing until they emerge as beetles three years or so later, usually between May and September. Longhorn, Powder Post, Wharf Borer and Death Watch Beetles, the latter of which only infests large, old, hardwood beams, all possess a foothold in the UNITED KINGDOM.

The first sign of woodworm most people see is precise, round holes around 2mm across in timber surface areas, often found with by small piles of wood dust beneath them.

Fresh holes show clean white wood inside. Although the holes are made by emerging adult beetles that are as a result no longer a direct risk to the structure, larvae may nonetheless be burrowing away inside the wood. Brittle edges to boards and to joists are also often a good indicator of their inhabitance and the need for woodworm control measures.

Woodworm Control

In cases where valued, rare and high priced pieces of wooden furniture, musical instruments, decorative or structural woodwork are impacted and need saving, a specialist woodworm treatment approach will certainly be needed. Woodworm in furniture can be cured with the use of the appropriate type of proprietary woodworm killer, with fluid injected into key flight holes. Floorboards should be lifted to get at the undersides and the joists.

If you have woodworm you will need to get rid of them. One of our experienced Pest Professionals will carry out an initial survey to establish the type of timber pest involved and the level of the problem, before advising on the most suitable treatment. The good news is that on evaluation a suitable treatment can eliminate woodworm completely. In the event of a heavy or hard to eradicate infestation, we can also advise on specialist heat treatment approach.

Varieties of Timber Pests in the UK

The Furniture Beetle

Easily the most common timber pest in the UK. Damages furniture, musical instruments, decorative woodwork etc. Larvae live for 3-5 years in the wood.

Beetle Larvae

Timber pest larvae bore deep into the wood and emerge from May to September. They may possibly be burrowing in the wood for years.

Death Watch Beetle

Dark reddish brown. Grubs like to eat older, hardwood structural timbers and can reside in them for ten years.

House Longhorn Beetle

Black/brown beetle not native to UK and mainly found in SE England. Infests seasoned and partially seasoned softwoods like pine.

Powder Post Beetle

Red/brown beetle that requires a diet of starch found in certain hardwoods. Can be a real problem in timber yards.

Wharf Borer Beetle

A brown beetle about 1cm long which inhabits decayed wet timber. Adults commonly found close to waterways.

If you need sound advice or fast solutions to woodworm or timber pest problems anywhere in South London or the surrounding Boroughs – get in touch.