You’ve probably heard the horror stories, but how much do you know about woodworm? What is it, where do they come from and what damage can they do? The absence of woodworm treatment can lead to significant furniture damage and a weakened property structure. Discover how to prepare yourself for a possible woodworm infestation – or to deal with a current one.
- Woodworm is not a worm
I know, what do we mean woodworm isn’t a wood-thirsty worm? It’s true, despite the name it’s been given, woodworm is, in fact, a larvae of wood-boring furniture beetles. They find a nutritious area of wood to lay their eggs and, once hatched, the larvae eat until mature. Unfortunately, if the beetle lays her eggs in one of a structural area this poses a potential risk to your home.
- Woodworm can damage the structural integrity of your property
If woodworm is left untreated, the little beetles will make a meal of the timber that supports your properties structure. It often takes a long time for an infestation of woodworm to cause damage to this effect, but if you’re unsure if and how long you’ve had woodworm problems in your home, a woodworm specialist can assess the damage to put your mind at ease.
- If you have damp, you could have woodworm
Wood-eating beetles choose wood that has moisture in it, as this is similar to the forest wood they evolved eating. If you have damp in your home you could be prone to woodworm. Follow these damp prevention techniques to prevent condensation and damp and reduce the risk of woodworm.
- There are signs of woodworm you can spot
Wood-boring beetles will attack anything made of wood; this includes joists, floorboards, furniture, doors and windows! Look out for holes and tunnels in the wood, powder-like dust on surfaces below the wooden item, and dead beetles near the wooden elements. The good thing about these small indicators is that it’s a tell-tale sign for you. If you have any of these signs, then a professional woodworm treatment is required to ensure more of the property isn’t affected.
If you’re unsure as to whether you have woodworm, or if you would like any damage assessed, Prokil damp and timber specialists offer a free, no obligation woodworm survey. We have over 50 years’ experience with over 8,000 happy clients so far – view our checkatrade rating of 9/10. Book a woodworm survey online or give one of our experienced woodworm treatment specialists a call or email [email protected].
