Woodworm Treatment Specialists
Woodworm Treatment Specialists Home Inspections & Specialist Timber Treatment Services for Suspected Active Wood-Boring Insects found in Sub-flooring Timbers, Lofts & Roof Spaces. Adept UK Damp & Woodworm Surveyors Have Been Carrying Out Specialist Damp & Woodworm Reports for well over 40 YEARS.
Woodworm Surveys For: Homeowners, Buyers, Sellers, Solicitors, Mortgage Lenders & Re-Mortgage Equity Release Funding Companies. Woodworm Company Providing Accurate Diagnosis and Surveys on Properties for The Treatment of Woodworm, Wood Rot, & Fungal Timber Decay (Wet & Dry Rot).
Need a Specialist Woodworm Survey – Report or a Timber Inspection? Call: 0800 246 5668 or Contact Us Here
Independent Professional Surveys Carried Out by C.S.R.T. (Certificated Surveyors in Remedial Damp and Timber Treatments) & C.T.I.S. (Certified Timber Infestation Surveyors). With over 40 Years Treating Woodworm We Are One of The Most Experienced & Trusted Woodworm Treatment Companies in the UK.
You may be currently in the process of moving home and the homebuyers survey undertaken on your new property has thrown up a couple of issues, one of which was signs of possibly active woodworm & wood rot found in the original roof timbers / beams. Do not panic, infestations found in a loft are often no longer active and do not need treatment or be cause for concern.
If there is no current sign of activity by wood-boring insects in your home, then there is often no need to carry out any costly woodworm treatment in lofts or flooring timbers, although any decayed timbers found in a house such as in floorboards & joists may have to be sprayed and replaced by specialist woodworm treatment companies or other timber building preservation experts.
A woodworm survey and report are available to all residents based in the UK. Our woodworm specialists timber surveyors are accredited Certificated Surveyor’s in Remedial Treatments (C.S.R.T) (C,T.I.S.) qualifications recognized by the Property Care Association (P.C.A) Formally known in the industry as the (BWPDA) (British Wood Preserving & Damp Proofing Association)
What is Woodworm? 
Woodworm is a term that refers to the larvae of different species of wood-boring insects. Usually, the insect that causes most damage in homes in the UK is the common furniture beetle (anobium punctatum).
Woodworm beetles lay its eggs within the wood, and when the larvae emerge, they begin to consume the internal areas of timber for several years until they are ready to pupate and change into adult beetles.
Ensuring the wood in your house remains dry is a huge factor in avoiding woodworm related issues, as some larvae prefer wood with a moisture content over 15%. especially in loft & sub-floor timbers. Use your heating and ventilation systems to keep the wood in your home from getting damp which can lead to wood rot decay.
Making sure good through sub-floor ventilation is available, unblocked airbricks allow the sub-floor timbers to remain dry is very important. If left unchecked, woodworm can lead to structural weakness of the structural roofing and floor timbers if not treated / sprayed.
How do I know if I have an active woodworm in my home? 
The best way to identity whether you have an active woodworm or non-active infestation in your floor or roof timbers is to look for some tell-tale signs, woodworm leave very fine dust behind, this is called frass and looks like a very fine sawdust.
You will usually find frass in and around the exit holes of the wood that’s been infected by woodworm, you can often find it in roof timbers on cobwebs near to the infected timbers, this is probably the most obvious sign that you have a infestation and whether you require woodworm treatment services or not.
Our woodworm specialists & damp surveyors offer woodworm advice and cost- effective treatments surveys whereby specialists will inspect any outbreak of woodboring insect attack & wood rot decay in a house and advise whether any cost for treatment services is necessary.
If any specialist woodworm treatment & timber renewal is required. Woodworm experts will provide you with a written report & quotation for spraying & treating woodworm in a house that you own or buying, along with the cost for any timber infestation treatments & timber rot repairs that may be required in a property.
Woodworm Treatment Specialists
A woodworm report and survey on a property involves specialist damp proofing & woodworm treatment companies inspecting all accessible timbers for the presence of wood boring insect attack and fungal decay (i.e. wet or dry rot).
Roof timbers will be also inspected by experts for the presence of timber decay if suitable access through a loft hatch is available. If active woodworm is found in the roof timbers, then woodworm specialists can provide with the cost for treating it.
Where required we will move items of furniture and take up sections of carpets to gain access to timber floors and will lift loose floorboards to inspect the sub-floor timbers voids for signs of dampness, woodworm infestation, wood-rot and timber decay.
All staircase timbers will be also inspected, but this is often limited as carpets are difficult to remove and replace, and the underside is often also covered.
A woodworm infestation survey undertaken by specialist woodworm treatment companies, involves a sub-floor timber inspection on accessible sub-floor timbers to check and report upon any signs of timber & wood rot.
Woodworm treatment specialists will also inspect structural roofing timbers for wood boring beetles & insects associated with timbers affected by damp & fungal decay.
Any visual evidence of wood boring insects and infestation will be reported on by our woodworm surveyors. Accessible surfaces of internal joinery will be visually inspected. Internal observations will be taken, and comments on general timber defects likely to affect internal timbers will be included in the report.
Our company will prepare a written woodworm / timber report on the condition of timbers together with recommendations and a quote for woodworm treatment and any timber repairs which may be required. Usually, any beetle infestation can be controlled by cost effective environmentally friendly methods and chemical timber treatments can be avoided.
Woodworm Treatment Specialists Treating Roof Timbers
Woodworm infestations in lofts and roof voids it may be necessary for us to temporarily remove insulation to gain access to the appropriate timber areas.
Woodworm treatment in loft, specialists will brush down roof timbers to remove dust and any roof debris from purlins and rafters and protect any water tanks and exposed electronics.
Once the loft space area has been suitably prepared to allow maximum effectiveness for our woodworm treatment solution, any timber surfaces in the loft space will be thoroughly sprayed on all sides for wood boring beetles by our company.
Woodworm Treatment Specialists Treating Floorboards
Woodworm specialists will lift floorboards every meter across the room. Our special woodworm insecticide solution will then be sprayed into the sub floor void underneath the floorboards boards to ensure the underside of the floor, and the sides of floor joists are treated against wood boring insects before we re-lay the floorboards and spray the top surface.
Woodworm Treatment Services to Staircases
Woodworm treatment specialists have a special process to deal with infestations in staircases. Once the carpet has been lifted, Woodworm specialists will drill either side of the carpet line, so we have two holes in the riser. This allows timber treatment specialists to insert a nozzle designed to diffuse the insecticide woodworm killer solution in all directions to ensure the staircase void is treated before we treat the top surface.
Building surveyor flagged woodworm up during house purchase survey. Don’t worry!
If you are in the process of buying a house or re-mortgaging/equity release then your Building Society surveyor will often flag up woodworm found in roof timbers, cellar joists and floor timbers as possible defects.
Usually this is nothing to worry about as surveyors often err on the side of caution in order to avoid any possible professional negligence claims and by mentioning the possible presence and signs of a woodworm infestation in the property, they have covered themselves and in doing so, have sign posted the timber infestation problem to woodworm treatment companies.
Often any woodworm picked up on a timber survey during the house purchasing process is dormant and if floor and roof / loft timbers are dry there is very little risk of further woodworm infestation and there is no justification for any timber treatments by woodworm treatment experts.
Our company can carry out a timber / woodworm survey and provide a report to satisfy your mortgage lender, and usually find that no timber treatments are required.
Cost of woodworm treatment services & cost of a report vary on the size of the house, flat & bungalow, and what areas you need treated. You may have already had a quote for woodworm timber treatment from other woodworm services but still feel the price is too high? don’t worry.
Wood boring beetles can be found in any part of a house, floorboards, joists, staircases, & roof timbers, and can if in the right conditions, cause considerable damage. Causing weakening of structural timbers in roof voids and floor timbers, resulting in having costly specialist timber repairs & timber treatment undertaken by woodworm companies to resolve the beetle infestation problem.
In fact, most woodworm beetle infestations only come to light when a property is being bought or sold
Life cycle of the wood boring beetles is normally always near completion before most homeowners are even aware that they have a problem.
In fact, most woodworm infestations only come to light when a property is being bought or sold and the valuation building surveyor working for the bank / building society carries out a mortgage home buyers survey and discovers woodworm holes in timber sub floors, staircase, roof timbers.
Surveyors then recommends that a woodworm survey be carried out by specialist woodworm treatment companies who are members of the P.C.A. property care association and provide a specialist report along with other services such as, costs for any treatments & timber repairs which may be required.
Woodworm treatment specialists dealing with an active infestation of woodworm in roof voids
When dealing with an active infestation of woodworm in roof voids and floor timbers the necessity for chemical wood worm treatments or non-treatment depends upon the species of wood worm beetle and the type of timber and its moisture content.
Some wood boring beetles such as the Death Watch & Weevil prefer damp and partly decayed timbers for its survival and in most cases chemical woodworm treatments are not required to eradicate the infestation, as controlling moisture levels and drying the timbers may be all that is necessary.
Adept UK experienced and qualified independent woodworm surveyors are based across the UK and are ready to carry out comprehensive inspections to assess the extent of any problem and the type of insect involved.
They will carry out independent woodworm surveys to determine if the infestation is active and needs treating, check timbers for associated defects such as wood rot / damp and if any timbers need replacing.
Based on this detailed evaluation, Adept UK surveyors will then recommend appropriate and most cost-effective woodworm treatment services.
How Can I Tell If I Have Woodworm in My Loft?
Woodworm found in roof voids can be tricky to detect, but there are a few tell-tale signs to watch out for:
- Frass: Fine, powdery dust resembling sawdust. It’s often found around exit holes.
- Tunnels: Visible tunnels within the wood caused by the woodworm larvae.
- Damaged wood: Weakened or crumbling wood, often with a honeycomb appearance.
- Live or dead beetles: Small, brown beetles might be found crawling around or dead near the infested area.
- Exit holes: Small, round holes in the wood, typically 1-3mm in diameter. These are where the adult beetles emerge.
Keep in mind that exit holes don’t always mean there’s an active infestation. Old holes might be from a previous problem. To check if the infestation is still active, you can clean the area around the suspected holes and look for fresh frass after a few days. Another method is to mark the existing holes with a coloured marker.
If you notice new holes appearing, it’s a sign that the infestation is active.
There are many types of woodworm beetles
Many woodworm grubs may look the same as any other, it is important to realise that the offspring of different species of woodworm beetle will have different characteristics.
For example, the ‘Common Furniture Beetle’ which is known to be the cause of 75% of woodworm infestations in the UK will feel at home in both soft and hard woods, whereas the ‘Wood Boring Weevil’ will only infest damp timber and usually attacks sites that are already afflicted with damp & wet rot.
The most damaging form of woodworm come from the larva of the ‘House Longhorn Beetle’. Again, this beetle is only likely to be found in damp timber, however due to its size and ability to bore extensively through wood and timber, it can cause quite rapid and severe damage in roof timbers. Furthermore, each ‘House Longhorn Beetle’ can lay up to 250 eggs.
Woodworm infestation damage in timbers can be easily treated & repaired
The need for structural repairs is quite rare as woodworm are more frequently a nuisance rather than a serious threat to the structural integrity of your house. Applying a woodworm insecticide will be enough to ensure that the infestation is dealt with, and if caught early enough then the damage caused is usually minimal.
If you are unlucky enough to have a particularly large and severe infestation then it is sometimes the case that post-treatment some form of timber repair service will be necessary.
On the other hand, if the site of your woodworm infestation is in a decorative structure such as a wooden drawer or cupboard, then we would normally recommend that you dispose of the item in appropriately.
This is because once the adult beetle escapes from the affected surface, it is free to roam anywhere in your property until they are discovered.
This could likely result in beetles making their way to other timbers that are far more costly to replace such as structural beams, and depositing their eggs in minuscule cracks there, thus planting an infestation in a much more serious position.
Woodworm treatment may be required in some cases
If you can identify the source of the woodworm problem, then there are brush and spray treatments commercially available that you may want to try in order to treat the infestation yourself.
Unfortunately though, many people find that the problem persists after DIY treatment, so if you have been unable to treat the problem yourself, or if your issue is particularly extensive and severe then it would be sensible to consult with a professional woodworm company in order to determine the extent of the damage to the property and to formulate a treatment plan for your home.
If woodworm is revealed on your home survey, all is not lost! Talk to your surveyor about what they can identify about the woodworm, and then talk to a specialist. Buying a property with potential structural issues may not be the best option, but as we can see from above, some infestations are low level and easily solved. Don’t let woodworm put you off from buying your new home.
Woodworm Treatment needed for active woodworm infestation
Common furniture beetle is the most common wood boring insect found in buildings including garages throughout Britain. It is also found in New Zealand, Australia and other parts of the world.
It normally attacks structural timbers made from the sapwood (the “working” part of a tree) of softwoods and European hardwoods, unless wood rot is present in the heartwood (the “old” inner part of a tree). It is commonly found in furniture (from where it gets its name), structural floor & roof timbers particularly noticed around loft hatches, timbers in contact with solid walls, under stairs cupboards and other areas affected by damp.
Flight holes found in very old structural timbers may often be historic (non-active) so will not require chemical woodworm treatment
Woodworm Treatment Specialists Carrying out Surveys & Mortgage Reports for Homebuyers & Homeowners
Before undertaking woodworm treatment, a surveyor will conduct a timber survey inspecting all accessible floor & roof void timbers to assess the extent of the woodworm problem, the species of woodworm infestation and how far the woodworm has spread.
A surveyor will also check for associated problems such as timber decay / rot or dampness and identify if any timbers need to be replaced. Only then can the appropriate decision be made as to whether the cost for woodworm treatment to floor / house roof timbers is required.
The findings following the timber survey will be set out within a damp and woodworm report which will satisfy mortgage companies and other lenders / providers.
Woodworm Treatment for Timber Infestation by Wood Boring Beetles
Woodworm is treated by targeting at least one stage in the development of the beetle. The infestation will be brought quickly under control, but with their long-life cycles it may take more than a year or so before a woodworm infestation completely dies out.
How To Identify an Active Woodworm Infestation
It can be tricky to tell if you have an active woodworm infestation as the main damage is caused inside the timber and you’re unlikely to see any visible results for years. However, there are a few tell-tale signs of woodworm in floors and loft beams, that can help you identify a potential woodworm infestation:
During the summer months (woodworm season is May to October), you may also spot adult wood boring beetles emerging from holes within the timber. Once a wood boring beetle has chewed itself out of hiding, it instinctively heads for light.
So, check for live or dead beetles around a suspected woodworm infestation and on the windowsills. Steely Blue beetles are the main predators of the Common Furniture beetle, so if you see them wandering around it’s probably because they’ve found a good food source close by.
Exit holes are probably the most obvious sign, but they do not occur until the adult beetles are ready to leave the timber, years after hatching as woodworm larvae. So it’s good practice to look for signs of frass on the back or underside of old furniture.
Finding holes and frass on your furniture or flooring isn’t always a cause for concern, they might just be signs of a previous woodworm infestation which has long been dormant. If you are unsure, it’s best to consult our woodworm treatment specialists.
Woodworm Treatment costs
We are often asked by clients who are currently in the process of moving home – How much does treatment cost? how much does it cost to treat the whole of my house or my roof timbers for beetle infestation.
The cost of treating woodworm will vary from property to property. A woodworm survey (timber survey) would be required to determine the type (species) of beetle and the extent of the infestation.
A surveyor must also find out if the woodworm infestation is active or historic. In some cases, it is not necessary to treat the whole property therefore, based on these factors the treatment costs would vary with each individual property inspected.
Costs of woodworm treatment can be immense, not only damaging your furniture, but may also affect the timber structure of your house. A typical loft above a 2 / 3-bedroom semi-detached / terraced home can be treated for woodworm with Boron or Permethrin for around £470-£950.
The price varies and depends on the type of business you instruct to do the work. Prices from large firms like Rentokil and Timberwise will be at the upper end of the scale while local one-man type businesses will be at the lower end. If the roof timbers & beams need a chemical injection rather than a spray-applied treatment, expect the woodworm treatment cost to rise substantially as the timber treatment work to a roof void will take twice as long.
Woodworm survey, where is woodworm commonly found?
Wood-boring beetles like damp conditions and if exposed timber members have a moisture content of more than 20%, then they will provide the optimum environment for the beetles. The Common Furniture Beetles will lay their eggs on the timber, and when they hatch to form larvae, that’s where the real damage begins. The beetle larvae will burrow beneath the timber surface eat their way through the wood.
They will pupate and hatch out and bore their way to the outside, leaving holes in the timber. The timber is left severely weakened if the infestation is particularly severe. If they are structural timbers, the integrity of the structure and any load bearing timber may be compromised.
Woodworm Treatment specialists how is woodworm treatment undertaken?
Since there are three main common types of beetles, there is a different approach to dealing with each one. Some of the beetle problems can be dealt with by taking a DIY approach but other will require professional advice and treatment. Below are the three common beetles and how best to treat them:
- Common Furniture Beetle – this is the most common woodworm causing agent and often does not cause structural damage. The popular way of dealing with the Common Furniture Beetle is to apply at least two coats of a treatment agent containing boron. This is an odourless, vapour less and water-based agent which you spray or brush on the affected wood.
- The House Longhorn Beetle – if you suspect your home has been raided by this pest, you will require professional help to eradicate it and prevent costly damage.
- Death-watch Beetle – this beetle can burrow deep into the wood and can cause structural damage. Surface treatment will not do the trick because the beetle is often deep inside the wood. The assistance of a surveyor is essential to determine the extent of the infestation. Treatment will often involve injecting the timber with a boron solution.
Cost of a woodworm survey & report
As a homeowner, would you be comfortable to diagnose and treat a potentially devastating condition such as woodworm? An experienced specialist will identify the wood boring beetles causing you problems, as well as come up with a course of treatment. For anything between £200 and £500 a woodworm specialist will do the following:
- Timber treatment specialists will carry out a woodworm survey and produce a quotation and written timber report.
- Surveyors will diagnose a particular wood boring insect affecting your home.
- Wood boring insect survey & report, woodworm specialists will be inspecting the roof void timbers and basement and cellars for signs of active wood rot & wood boring beetles (woodworm infestation) and provide any treatment costs.
- Timber treatment specialists will Inspect under floorboards and all flooring and roof timbers for any signs of dry rot
Furniture is also affected by woodworm, especially old, antique furniture. Treatment for furniture infestations is often by applying a surface treatment agent. For some treatments, it does not matter whether the surface is polished or not. However, other furniture preservatives will not work on varnished or painted furniture. Coat the surface of the furniture with the treatment agent, and if flight holes are visible, use a special injector to fill the holes with the preservative.
Understanding the type of problem, you are dealing with is the key to resolving a woodworm infestation once and for all. Although there are DIY options available on the market, the devastation woodworm may inflict on your property is a cause for concern. Seeking professional help, to not only identify the correct beetle responsible for your issues, but also eradicating it is the recommended way.
How you deal with woodworm today may affect the selling price of your home further down the line if you wish to move.
Woodworm Treatment a case of Misidentification
There have been many instances where Adept UK have been instructed to inspect an outbreak of woodworm and provide a report & quotation for woodworm treatment.
These clients have already had quotations from other woodworm treatment companies who have been offered a “free” damp and timber survey.
Upon our inspection to the roof timbers & floor joists it had been noted that the beetle infestation was such that the woodworm treatment was not required or the wood worm infestation found in the house had been of an historic nature.
In these circumstances the clients have saved hundreds of pounds by avoiding unnecessary costly woodworm treatment.
To avoid misidentification and incorrect diagnosis by unqualified woodworm treatment companies, my advice would be to employ a fully qualified damp and timber surveyor to inspect your home.
If you need to arrange a survey / inspection, whether it be to a roof void / loft, ground sub-floor timbers, staircase, first floor timbers or would like further information regarding wood boring insects, eradicating woodworm & timber fungal decay in a house / flat that you may currently be in the process of buying / selling which is showing signs of a suspected infestation to the floorboards which you need inspected, call Adept UK to speak to a specialist timber surveyor who I’m sure will be able to make an appointment to visit your home or discuss on the phone which inspection you require to be carried out on a property
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