3 Ways to Keep your Home Woodworm Free

If you’ve had woodworm, you’ll know what a nightmare it can be. Left untreated, they can cause lots of damage to your belongings and they are notoriously difficult to treat. Take a look at our 3 ways to avoid getting woodworm and what to if you do get it.

Ways to prevent woodworm

Ensure your home is damp-free

Woodworm is actually a term given to wood boring larvae of beetles, and they love to hide in warm, humid conditions.

If you have a leak that is causing wood to go rotten in your home, or if your home is not well insulated, woodworm will soon find their way in. If you have wood that is going mouldy, this will only encourage them to burrow deeper.

Make sure you check your home regularly for leaks and if you notice any damp spots get them rectified immediately.

Don’t keep untreated wood at home

Still waiting for the perfect moment to treat that lovely wooden chair you got? The perfect time is now.

Woodworms will burrow in furniture as well as driftwood and firewood, so now is the time to inspect and treat all wood that you are going to keep in or near your property.

Don’t neglect your wooden furnishings – they need varnishing regularly. If you leave them untreated for years at a time, you run the risk of getting a woodworm infestation.

Don’t believe the myths

Lots of people think that once you’ve got rid of woodworm from your wooden items, they are safe from being infested again. This is not true. In fact, the boreholes made by the woodworm are a perfect nesting place for a beetle to lay their eggs, so your damaged items are actually at a higher risk of getting repeat woodworm infestations. That’s why it’s important to keep your wooden furnishings maintained so you don’t end up with multiple infestations.

Signs that you’ve got an infestation

If you suspect that you’ve got a woodworm infestation, watch out for the following:

• Small, dartboard-like holes in your woodwork
• Powdery dust around the holes
• Boards and joists with crumbly edges
• Adult beetles around your house or coming out of the holes

How to find out if you need to call a pest controller

If you’ve only got holes and powerdy dust around the holes in your woodwork, it doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ve got a current infestation. To help you confirm whether you have a current problem that needs solving, you can:

• Paint over holes with emulsion or block them with masking tape in the winter, then check in the spring to see if any adult beetles have emerged
• Test the humidity of your woodwork with a moisture meter – anything about 20% is cause for concern, as woodworm love moist wood

If it’s not looking good, it’s time to call a pest controller. They will be able to recommend the best way to remove the woodworm and prevent them from returning. Click on ‘Start my Project’ to use our service and get up top 4 free no-obligation quotes.