Woodworm Questions
- I’ve discovered a number of insects on the window sill in my dining room. Do I have woodworm?
- How do you carry out woodworm treatment to the floors in my property?
- When you treat the woodworm in my property, will there be a smell?
- Do I have to move out of the property when you carry out woodworm treatment?
- My property was treated for an infestation of woodworm last year, but a few insects have been appearing this year. Didn’t the treatment work?
- Do you have to treat every area of the property to ensure the woodworm infestation is completely eradicated?
- How long is the treatment guaranteed for?
- There are lots of products on the market for treating woodworm. Could I carry out a DIY woodworm treatment?
- When do I have to pay for the work?
- What happens to the guarantee if I move house?
I’ve discovered a number of insects on the window sill in my dining room. Do I have woodworm?
It would not be possible to say for definite without seeing a sample (see our woodboring insects guide), but there are other signs of woodworm infestation in your property you can look for. For instance, holes in any of the structural timbers or any evidence of bore dust (small piles of dust, sometimes called ‘frass’), which is caused by adult woodworm beetles emerging from the timber. If so, you really need an experienced surveyor to carry out a thorough inspection so that the infestation can be dealt with promptly and effectively. Read about our woodworm treatment.
How do you carry out woodworm treatment to the floors in my property?
Generally, we would use our unique fogging systems to treat floors so that in most cases you do not need to remove carpets and furniture from the rooms which we are treating. Fogging can often allow rooms to be back in use two hours after treatment has been completed.
When you treat the woodworm in my property, will there be a smell?
The treatment fluid we use has a slight odour, however as the area being treated cannot be occupied for a period of 2 hours, you will find that the smell has dispersed before you re-enter the room/s.
Do I have to move out of the property when you carry out woodworm treatment?
In normal circumstances, you do not have to move out of the property. However, as a precaution, people with certain medical conditions are recommended to vacate the property for 48 hours.
My property was treated for an infestation of woodworm last year, but a few insects have been appearing this year. Didn’t the treatment work?
Our treatment targets the young larvae buried within the timber and, as the life cycle of the insect is between 3 and 4 years in the case of Common Furniture Beetle, there can still be some woodworm beetles which have reached the adult stage emerging from the timber. This is commonly called “post treatment emergence”. However, any eggs that may be laid in cracks, crevices or old flight holes will not survive the treatment that has been applied to the timber, therefore breaking the life cycle.
Do you have to treat every area of the property to ensure the woodworm infestation is completely eradicated?
No. We would only carry out treatment to areas where infestation was evident. COSHH (Control of Substances Hazardous to Health) regulations restrict the use of chemicals where not absolutely necessary. However, in most circumstances, we can offer complete protection of your property with a Rentokil Insurance policy, which covers areas of the property where infestation is not currently evident.
How long is the treatment guaranteed for?
Our treatments are guaranteed for 30 years. Rentokil has been in the business of treating woodworm for almost eighty years, so if you ever need to make a claim your guarantee is sure to be valid.
There are lots of products on the market for treating woodworm. Could I carry out a DIY woodworm treatment?
You can purchase woodworm products from your local DIY store, but these are only suitable for use on small items of furniture and not recommended for use on structural timbers in your property. For treating large living areas, and where children or pets may be present, we recommend you seek our professional advice by booking a survey.
When do I have to pay for the work?
Our normal payment terms are that we require payment in full following satisfactory completion of the work, although we reserve the right to vary this in certain circumstances.
What happens to the guarantee if I move house?
Because the guarantee refers to areas of your home that we have treated for woodworm, the guarantee can be passed to any new owners of the property until the end of the thirty years. The guarantee documents should always be retained safely with other house documents, as these can provide an important selling point when your house is on the market.