woodworm in early victorian townhouse

[tonyfromjersey]

I am about to start renovating an early victorian house and I want to apply a woodworm treatment to the beams under the house and also in the loft.
I wondered what people recommend ?
There is some evidence of active woodworm under the floorboards but only old holes in the loft.
Regards Tony.

 

[Gervase]

A solution of borax (available in powder form from Boots) is pretty effective, and less nasty than some of the organophosphate sprays and paints.

 

[Matt Green]

I am about to start renovating an early victorian house and I want to apply a woodworm treatment to the beams under the house and also in the loft.
I wondered what people recommend ?

Not doing it.

There is some evidence of active woodworm under the floorboards but only old holes in the loft.
Regards Tony.

Well, if you can tell the difference between recent and historic holes, you should know enough to know that treating the loft is a worthless excersise, given that the timbers have been there for over 100 years without furniture beetles attacking them. The reason they haven't been attacked is that they probably contain very little sapwood (the outer part of the tree that is high in nitrogen).

Floorboards, however, might have a bit more sapwood in them. If the moisture content of the floorboards has risen a bit, then there might be a bit of activity.

Is there a bit of bore dust? Dead adult bodies? Is the damage confined to the edges of the boards.

If there is a bit of genuine activity and you're worried about the boards (for whatever reason) brush treat the effected areas with any commercial preparation that contains Permethrin. Ripping up a floor just to do this is likley to cause more damage than the insects though, so use a bit of judgement and only apply it to boards you lift for other reasons.

Clear and/or vaccuum the floor voids too- it will help you determine if you actually have a problem. Check after the flight season (April to August) to see how the situation is before you leap for the insecticide.


Cheers,



Matt Green

 

[tony]

Buy woodworm killing products from screwfix, 1 litre bottle dillutes to 25 litres

Keep out of room for 8 hours after spraying

regards

tony

 

[Nemesis]

I'd listen to Matt, who is a bit of an expert in the subject.

 

[biffvernon]

Keep out of room for 8 hours after spraying

Oh, that makes it ok then, does it?

 

[Lime]

The woodworm killer on sale at Screwfix contains 2.5% permethrin as Matt Green recommends.

 

[Nemesis]

He doesn't, however, recommend indiscriminate spraying...

Nor would I.

 

[Nemesis]

PS that wasn't to say borax based stuff as per Gervase 's suggestion isn't a good idea - it's just too many people do go mad at the slightest suggestion of worm and spray everywhere with chemiclas which may or may not be good for the environment and the health of the occupants.

 

[PC]

As far as I'm aware there is no documented evidence to suggest that Borax / Borates will kill woodworm.

IF treatment is considered necessary Permethrin is best product available and can in some cases give a minimum of 4/8 hours reentry time. Some have 1 hour!

PC

 

[Nemesis]

Is there any research at all on the subject of borates published?

 

[Moo]

Permethrin is best product available and can in some cases give a minimum of 4/8 hours reentry time. Some have 1 hour!PC

That's quite a reasonable time for a patient woodworm.

 

[Gervase]

Is there any research at all on the subject of borates published?

Not that I know of - I use borax because I hate OPs, and because it deters moths, silverfish, cockroaches and just about any other arthropod and its larvae, so I reasoned it would be effective against woodworm an' all. On a hugely unscientific basis, I have yet to see active worm in any timber I've treated!

 

[Nemesis]

Actually - I spent what should have been my honeymoon ripping up and falling though some of the most worm eaten floorboards ever - and every spongy handful which came up had the little blighters in, gnawing their way to daylight and freedom.

What is even more odd is that this was the only timber in the house with worm - one room, one floor. The joists were fine.