Press/News

Now that the  warmer weather is upon us we have seen a rise in the number of calls from people asking for our advice with woodworm related problems in their property.  So, to help all those who think they have a woodworm problem here is a reminder about woodworm and some useful woodworm tips for you!

Woodworm advice

1. Know the type of woodworm infestation you have

Firstly, do you know what woodworm are? The term woodworm refers to the larvae of any type ofwood-boring beetle. Here in the UK, the most common forms of woodworm are the Common Furniture Beetle (Anobium punctatum), Deathwatch Beetle (Xestobium rufuvillosum), House Longhorn Beetle (Hylotrupes bajulus) and Powder Post Beetle (Lyctus brunneus).

It is always a good idea to get a woodworm specialist to identify the correct type of woodworm before you decide on any form woodworm treatment. Not all woodworm beetles or larvae are harmful and a qualified woodworm specialist would be able to advise you on the type of infestation and the best course of action to remedy the situation. Contact Timberwise for a woodworm survey on 0800 288 8660 or for some helpful woodworm advice from one of our specialist surveyors.

2. Is it a live woodworm infestation?

The holes that are commonly associated with a woodworm infestation are made by the adult woodworm beetles. The woodworm make the holes as they exit the wood . The woodworm flight season tends to be between May and September. One idea is to block the woodworm holes during the cooler winter months by painting with a simple coat of emulsion, or by applying masking tape. In the spring, you can then easily see if any woodworm beetles have emerged from the timber and therefore determine whether you have an active woodworm infestation or not. Alternativley seek the advice of a professional.

3. Have the humidity of the timbers checked

Have the humidity of the wood within your property professionally checked by a surveyor with a timber moisture meter. The surveyor will insert the probe into the timber and get an instant moisture content reading. For reference: a moisture content of around 20% would be a cause for concern as woodworm prefer timbers with a moisture content of over 18% however; woodworm can also tolerate moisture contents as low as 12% for short periods. At lower moisture levels, the rate of woodworm colonisation tends to be lower and infestation will die out with long periods of reduced moisture. You can assume that a reading of around 11% puts you at very low risk of a woodworm problem

4. Woodworm advice – helping to prevent woodworm infestations

To prevent further woodworm infestation, it is an idea to employ the following woodworm tips:

- Remove items of furniture or non-structural timber that are woodworm infested to avoid the woodworm spreading to other timber in the property.

- Keep humidity levels low and ensure areas with wood are well ventilated.

- Install electric fly traps in loft spaces and areas that are under-ventilated. This will help kill emerging adult woodworm beetles in the summer months, and thus reduce the threat of further infestation. Electric fly traps are available to buy on-line from the Timberwise Property Care Shop

Further woodworm advice from Timberwise

To find out more about woodworm, visit the following woodworm related web pages – Woodworm Treatment: watch our woodworm video and find out how Timberwise can eradicate your woodworm problem. Booking a woodworm survey is simple – either call your local office on 0800 288 8660 or complete the on-line woodworm survey request form.

In recent years it has become increasingly popular to remove carpets from our homes and replace with solid wood flooring. A worthy investment as it looks great, feels fantastic and will last for years – or will it? In the case of the solid wood floor below the oak also came with an uninvited guest in the form of Powder Post Beetles.

What are Powder Post Beetles?

Powder Post Beetles (Lyctus brunneus) are woodworms that attack the sapwood of hardwoods such as Oak and Elm - the beetles do not infest varnished, painted or treated wood. The beetles are a very specialised creature and will only go for sapwood that has a starch content of greater than 3%. As wood ages the starch content lessens as a result of bacterial action and after approx. 10 years the levels will be so low that no infestation is possible. As the beetles are very specific (wide pored hardwoods with sufficient starch content) it is highly unlikely that normal domestic properties contain such timbers, except where they have been introduced, for example, in the form of a new hardwood floor. It is also very unlikely that the insect will have flown into the property. It is almost certain that the insect infestation occurred where the timber was originally stored – for example a timber yard.

What to do if you suspect you have Powder Post Beetle in a solid wood floor

• Firstly there needs to be correct identification of the infestation. Incorrect identification could result in unnecessary chemical treatments. Timberwise are experts in all forms of woodworm infestations and can help you. Call 0800 288 8660 or request a woodworm survey on-line.
• If the outbreak is confirmed as Powder Post Beetle it must be considered that the floor timbers were infested prior to been purchased and being laid.
• The contractor who laid the floor or the suppliers of the timber should be contacted as the floor should be considered as not of merchantable quality. It could be argued that exit holes also make the timber not fit for purpose as they ruin the aesthetics.

Powder Post emergence holes and frass

Powder Post beetle and emergence hole

Powder Post beetle damage

House Longhorn beetle (Hylotrupes bajulus)

Today’s photo looks at damage caused by one of the least common types of woodworm found in the UK  – House Longhorn beetle.

 House Longhorn beetle is seldom found outside of north west Surrey although it has been found to a much lesser extent in parts of London. Isolated outbreaks of House Longhorn have been found in other parts of the UK as a result of infested packing cases. Principally the House Longhorn beetle is is found in roof timbers where it can cause structural damage by feeding on the sapwood of softwood species of timber. To control the spread of the House Longhorn beetle  local Building Regulations require that new roof timbers are pre-treated with an appropriate preservative.

What does the House Longhorn beetle look like?

The larvae of the House Longhorn beetle usually mature in the spring months. The mature House Longhorn beetles eat their way out of the timber, in the process creating a hole  between 6-10 mm in diameter. These holes resemble the holes left by the most common form of woodworm, Common Furniture Beetle, with the exception that the holes are significantly larger. The head and body are covered with greyish coloured hairs and two shiney black spots that resemble eyes. To learn more about the life cycle of woodworm view check out of woodworm life cycle animation.

What should I do if I suspect I have a House Longhorn beetle infestation?

Timberwise are experts in treating woodworm of all kinds. With over 4 decades experience in treating woodworm you can be sure that Timberwise can treat your House Longhorn beetle problem quickly and effectivley. To arrange a woodworm survey couldn’t be easier simply call 0800 288 8660 or complete our on-line Woodworm Survey Request form.

Are you looking for a property care company you can trust to care for your property? Do you have rising damp or condensation problems and not sure which way to turn or who to trust?

To help show why Timberwise are the property care company of choice for many we have compiled a short animation that looks at what makes Timberwise different from everybody else. From our skilled surveyors and technicians to our office based teams all at Timberwise are dedicated to providing the best quality service for you and your property.

Timberwise have over 4 decades experience in the caring of properties – from damp, rising damp and dry rot through to basement waterproofing  and woodworm our highly skilled surveyors are able to diagnose a solution to suit your needs. As members of the Property Care Association

Don’t just take our word for it though! To become one of the many satisfied clients of Timberwise simply complete the survey request form or call 0800 288 8660.

Watch out woodworm are about! Important woodworm information for home owners.

Now that the warmer months are upon us we are beginning to see more cases of woodworm infestation in property. To help home owners have a better understanding about
woodworm and the life cycle of the woodworm we have produced a short video that shows clearly the life cycle of the woodworm.

Here is the life cycle explained in a little more detail: For the purpose of this illustration we have made the assumption that the beetle that lands on the timber is a pregnant female.

1. The female beetle starts the life cycle process by laying her eggs directly into the timber through cracks, crevices and existing flight holes. To protect the eggs they are not left on the surface of the timber.

2. After a few weeks the eggs hatch downwards into the timber and produce larvae  – this is the worm stage of the infestation. This worm, or larval stage, carries on for any where between 2 and 5 years. In that time the larvae  eats its way up and down the timbers and causes the structural damage to the timber. It is at this stage in the life cycle that the frass, or dust, that is associated with woodworm is produced.

3. Towards the end of its life cycle it forms a pupal chamber where it enlarges the tunnelling towards the surface of the timber and pupates from the larval stage into an adult beetle.

4. The adult beetle then eats its way through the last thin veneer of timber producing the round exit holes that you normally see. From here on in the beetle causes very little further damage to the timber.

5. It is the round exit holes that normally identify timber that has been subjected to beetle infestation. The females live for between 10 and 14 days where as their male counterparts only live between 3 and 4 days. Once the adult male beetles have emerged from the chamber there sole purpose is to mate with as many female partners in their short lifespan and the life cycle continues.

If you suspect you have a woodworm infestation don’t panic! Simply call our woodworm experts on 0800 99 11 00 or click to arrange a survey.