Damp Proofing Liverpool
Woodworm is caused by the larva of wood burrying beetles, common symptoms of a woodworm infestation include:
- Crumbly edges to boards and joists.
- Small round holes in your woodwork, similar to the holes found on a dart board.
- Fine, powdery saw dust around these holes (which is known as frass).
- Adult beetles emerging from the holes or present around the house.
Even if you can't see any visible holes on the surface, you might also find frass escaping from the back or underside of old furniture which would suggest active woodworm.
However, not all of these signs of activity are cause for concern. Holes and frass might just indicate a previous woodworm infestation, long since dormant.
Treating a woodworm depends on the level of infestation, the damage which has been done to the wood as well as the type of wood itself. Low toxixity chemicals are used to treat the wood to kill insects at any stage of development (larva, pupa or beetle) however some types of timber do not allow for these chemicals to properly penetrate the surface of the wood so specialist deep penetrating pastes are used. In situations where there is a heavy infestation it is better to replace the timber altogether.