Treating Woodworm with DIY Methods

When dealing with woodworm in your home there are various options you can take, including both DIY and professional treatments. While in some cases DIY options are available, it is best to fully understand the factors involved before deciding on your next course of action. While DIY options can often solve the problem, in some cases woodworm infestations can be large, more serious and require professional assistance, especially when structural timbers are affected.

The first step is making sure that the woodworm problem is active, as this will indicate whether woodworm treatments are necessary. We have put together a guide on the steps to take when carrying out DIY treatments, and when professional assistance may be required.

If you do need professional help, Rentokil Property Care has been dealing with woodworm infestations in homes and businesses for decades, and have a number of CSRT and CSTDB qualified surveyors who are experts in identifying woodworm, if you wish to go down that route.

Many homes, especially older properties constructed with traditional timbers may be affected by woodworm, but before you go out and purchase various DIY products it is worthwhile to first investigate the problem.

Small emergence or bore holes are a common sign of a woodworm problem. These holes are made as the adult beetle leaves the wood at the end of the lifecycle. The majority of the damage is made by larvae boring through the wood and is therefore unseen.

Rentokil Property Care are sometimes called out to properties where nail holes or pin holes have been mistaken for woodworm emergence holes. While these problems do not require treatment, the emergence holes of a number of woodworm species differ, sometimes making it difficult for homeowners to accurately diagnose a woodworm problem.

If there are emergence holes the next step is to make sure there are signs of an active infestation. The most common sign is the existence of fine sawdust around emergence holes, which is known as frass.

Recent emergence holes should look fresh and clean, whereas old emergence holes will look dark and dusty. Plywood used for the backs or draw bases of furniture is very popular with Common furniture beetle as it is mostly made from sapwood and often held with animal glue which is nutritious to beetle larvae.

Sometimes woodworm problems can be caused because there is an increase in the moisture content of timber, indicating a damp problem. If you suspect this may be the case, further investigation may be required, and the damp must be addressed. Sometimes specialist damp proofing may be required, and in some cases fungal decay can occur due to the increased moisture content of timber.

If there are signs that there is an active woodworm problem the next step is to investigate the property for more signs. If the problem is prevalent you may require more specialist assistance. Often woodworm problems are located in hard to reach areas, such as lofts, subfloor voids, the underside of floorboards or behind panelling.

While DIY treatments can be carried out to cosmetic timber or small pieces of wooden furniture, if structural timbers are affected and the damage is severe enough, these timbers may need to be replaced.

If you think you have woodworm in your property, you may benefit from professional help, especially if there is damage to structural timbers. This is done through a damp and timber survey.

A trained and qualified surveyor will be able to identify if the infestation is active, the type of woodworm species causing the problem and provide recommendations for treatments, but only if they are required. They will assess the condition of the timber and detail their findings in their survey report. If a damp problem is found, this will also be noted in the report, along with recommendations on how to rectify the problem.

Rentokil Property Care have a number of PCA qualified surveyors who can help provide you with answers and long term solutions.

If you do choose to go ahead with professional woodworm treatments, often they are backed by our long term guarantees.

Through our long term guarantees we have been able to provide thousands of homeowners with the peace of mind knowing their problem has been accurately identified by a professional, before being expertly treated, solving the problem long term. This added layer of protection is something a DIY woodworm treatment cannot provide.

If your woodworm problem is isolated in small areas, or is affecting small wooden items such as antique or second hand furniture, musical instruments or wooden tools, you may be able to carry out treatments yourself, using our Rentokil DIY woodworm killer solution.

Our products have been perfected over our 100 years of experience in woodworm control and are safe and effective. They can be bought online from various retailers, in supermarkets, hardware stores, or garden and trade centres around the country.

Our DIY Woodworm Killer Solution comes in various sizes and contains highly effective Permethrin to treat the affected areas and prevent woodworm infestations from coming back.

Virtually all treatment fluids available on the market are water based, so care must be taken to assess if water vapour could become trapped under varnish or the water will cause swelling of the wood.

If you are unsure about the extent of your woodworm issue, or you think structural timber may be affected, you could benefit from a damp and timber survey carried out by a professional surveyor.

Rentokil Property Care are experts in woodworm and timber infestations, and have been offering professional solutions for decades. We provide help to homeowners, social housing providers and commercial clients across the country with personalised advice for woodworm infestations.