Woodworm  

Woodworm Survey & Report Call: 0800 246 5668 or Contact Us HERE

Woodworm Survey Carried Out By C.S.R.T. (Certificated Surveyors in Remedial Damp and Timber Treatments ) & C.T.I.S. (Certified Timber Infestation Surveyors). Experts Offering Specialist Inspections and Woodworm Treatment for Active Wood-Boring Insect Attack found in lofts / roof spaces & flooring. We Have Been Carrying Out Specialist Independent Damp & Woodworm Report Services for well over 40 YEARS.

Woodworm Survey For: Homeowners, Buyers, Sellers, Mortgage Lenders & Re-mortgage Equity Release funding Companies. Woodworm Company Providing Accurate Diagnosis and Surveys on Properties for Woodworm, Wood Rot, & Fungal Timber Decay (Wet & Dry Rot). 

Need a Woodworm Survey Carried Out on a Property? Then Simply fill Out Our Contact Us Form and a Member of the Team Will Be in Touch.

You may be currently in the process of moving home and the Homebuyers survey 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 Do not panic, woodworm infestations found in a loft are often no longer active and do not need treatment or be cause for concern. 

A woodworm survey and report is available to all residents based in the UK. Our specialist damp and 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?

Wood Boring Insect,

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 infestation?

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 woodworm infected timbers, this is probably the most obvious sign that you have a woodworm infestation and whether you require woodworm treatment services or not.

Our woodworm & damp surveyors offer expert advice and cost- effective  woodworm surveys whereby woodworm specialists will inspect any outbreak of woodboring insect attack & wood rot decay in a house, and advise whether any cost for woodworm treatment services is necessary. If any specialist woodworm treatment & timber renewal is required. Woodworm experts will provide you with a written woodworm 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 & Survey Reports for Wood Boring Insects.

A woodworm report and survey on a property involves specialist damp proofing companies & woodworm surveyors 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 woodworm experts for the presence of woodworm & timber decay if suitable access through a loft hatch is available. If active woodworm is found in the roof timbers then we 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 carried out by specialist woodworm surveyors, involves a sub-floor timber inspection on accessible sub-floor timbers to check and report upon any signs of timber infestations & 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 woodworm 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 in Garage

Woodworm treatment to roof timbers in garage

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 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 surveyors will lift up floorboards every meter across the room. Our special woodworm insecticide solution will then be sprayed into the sub floor void underneath the floor boards 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.

Woodworm treatment specialists flagged woodworm up on 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 a possible defect. 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.

More often than not any woodworm picked up on a timber survey during the house purchasing process is dormant and as long as 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 to high? don’t worry. Adept UK woodworm services can beat any written  bonafide woodworm treatment quote. If you require a woodworm inspection in your roof void & floor timbers, and need free advice from our woodworm experts regarding costs of a woodworm survey then call free  0800 246 56 68

Wood boring beetles can be found in any part of a house , floorboards  ,joists, staircases, & roof/ attic timbers, and can if in the right conditions, cause considerable  insect damage causing  weakening of structural timbers in roof voids and floor timbers, resulting in having costly specialist timber repairs & timber treatment carried out 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 home owners are even aware that they have a problem. In fact, most woodworm infestations only comes 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 and 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 woodworm infestation report along with other services such as, costs for any woodworm treatments & timber repairs which may be required.

Adult woodworm beetle lays her eggs in cracks and crevices of the timber. When the eggs hatch, the woodworm larvae burrows into the wood feeding off the timber within and creating tunnels. On reaching maturity, an adult beetle emerges from the timber creating  characteristic woodworm holes and bore dust (frass).  This is when woodworm treatment specialists are called in to carry out woodworm treatment.

Various species of woodworm beetle common to this country, all have fairly similar life cycles, however the length from laying of the woodworm egg to the emergence of the woodworm beetle varies in length.  The active season of the woodworm beetle is between May and October, when is some cases the wood boring beetles can be seen emerging from floor and roof timbers in properties throughout the UK.

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  woodworm inspections to assess the extent of any problem and the type of woodworm 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 woodworm surveyors will then recommend appropriate and  most cost effective woodworm treatment services.

Woodworm treatment survey, how to check if you have an infestation

Most people first become aware that they have a woodworm issue in their house when they notice small round exit holes appearing on their floor or skirting board surfaces.This does not suggest that there is still an active problem. Exit holes confirm that the site once hosted Woodworm grub, but it could be the case that many more larvae are embedded within the structure. On the other hand, it could mean that the wood boring beetle has left the nest and the infestation is now inactive.
The best way to assess whether your wooden structures are still the site of an active infestation is to examine the outside of exit holes for evidence of ‘frass’. This is a fine powdery substance that looks similar to sawdust, but is in fact Woodworm droppings. If you can see frass beside the exit holes then the likelihood is that you do indeed have a current and active woodworm population in your home. 

There are many types of woodworm beetles

Many woodworm grubs may look more or less 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 due to the fact that 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 woodworm 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 woodworm 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 necessary)

Death watch beetle in the British Isles, this woodworm beetle is common to the south of England, but less so in the North, and unknown in Scotland.  The death watch beetle will attack partially decayed hardwoods, mainly oak. It is often found in churches and historic buildings where large quantities of oak or elm beams have been used structurally. Dampness is essential for the establishment and rapid development of the attack, however it can occur in drier timbers but at a much slower rate. It is usually found in areas which are prone to damp, such as wall plates, floor joist ends, lintels and other built-in timbers, these sub floor timbers will require treating by woodworm treatment experts.

Wood-Boring Weevil: (no woodworm treatment necessary only to treat associated wood rot in adjacent floor and skirting board timbers)

Occasionally misidentified by woodworm treatment companies as the Common Furniture Beetle, though of slimmer appearance and having a long snout. Wood-boring weevils will only attack timber that is damp and decayed, with the damage they cause being secondary to that of the fungus. There is no fixed emergence period and holes are ragged, of about 1 mm in diameter. This beetle does not require chemical woodworm treatment as it will die rapidly once the affected timber has dried out. Infestation of sound, dry wood is not possible.

Bark Borer:(no woodworm treatment necessary) In instances where the Bark Borer is identified, then no woodworm treatment is necessary. It is only usually found in buildings where timbers have bark present such as roof timbers. By removal of any bark the infestation will die naturally through lack of food source.

Woodworm Treatment Specialists Treating Woodworm

The threat from woodworm is most severe when they attack timber in buildings. Over time, the woodworm tunnels weaken the timber and if left untreated, active infestations of woodworm in roof and floor timbers can lead to structural damage.

Woodworm in furniture may be treated with a range of appropriate spraying products available from your local hardware stores. However, woodworm which is found in the structural timbers of your home should be inspected by a professional damp and timber surveyor, who can identify the species of wood worm and recommend the correct remedial measures or woodworm treatment for that particular woodworm beetle.

Not all signs of woodworm found in floors & roof timbers are cause for concern. Holes and frass might just indicate a previous woodworm infestation, long since dormant. Certainly, if you are unsure, it is always advisable to consult a woodworm treatment specialist. Please feel free to contact Adept UK woodworm treatment experts for any help and advice. Alternatively, make a survey enquiry to organise a professional woodworm survey.

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 number of 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 woodworm treatment cost? how much does it cost to treat the whole of my house or my roof timbers for woodworm  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 woodworm beetle and the extent of the infestation.  It is also necessary to 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 woodworm treatment costs would vary with each individual property inspected.

The 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 Treatment a case of Mis-identification

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 inspection to the roof timbers & floor joists by a Adept surveyor, it had been noted that the particular 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 woodworm 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 woodworm infestation to the floor boards 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.

You maybe selling your property and the buyers building surveyor has found woodworm in your roof timbers or perhaps You’ve already had a quote for a woodworm survey / timber treatment but feel the price is to high? either way I’m sure we can help you Call free 0800 246 56 68  To Book a woodworm survey online simple fill out this SURVEY ENQUIRY FORM

Woodworm survey, timber survey for house purchase, combined damp and timber survey, specialist timber and damp reports for mortgage providers, damp-proofing quotation and woodworm services are provided by Adept UK throughout the UK 
 Birmingham, Cheshire, Chester,  Lancashire, Liverpool, London, Manchester,
 North Wales, Shropshire, West Midlands, Wirral