Evidence of woodworm

eh_what?

Our house is 1930's with a cellar. We've been here a year, previous to us buying it it was cold and suffering from damp caused by condensation and was maintained in a half-assed way for a long time. We have addressed the condensation issues successfully and have warmed the house up to normal temperatures.

Last night we found evidence of mild woodworm infestation in the bathroom, initially in what we knew was a previously damp corner caused by slow leaking radiator pipe under the floor boards but we have removed the radiator and the damp is gone. Upon noticing the woodworm holes in the joists we took up as many floor boards as we could get up - not hard considering recent plumbing work -and found that there were holes throughout the room - not loads, just enough for it to be of concern. Although I've not seen a beetle as they are currently hiding away at this time of year I'm fairly sure they are the common variety. I'm not even sure that the infestation is active but I am going to assume it is as want to put flooring down as we have already lived for a year on bare dirty boards and I'm sick of it, I do not want to sit around doing nothing but watching for beetles under the floor for the next 12 months.

So today we got some spray on stuff and I sprayed it liberally all over the joists and undersides of the floorboards. I used 10L for 2 coats in a 3x4m room so it was pretty well soaked in. However I know they can fly etc and are due to come out - if active- and fly, mate, lay eggs within the next few months. The stuff I used is preventative. However 'The Other Half' is refusing to allow me to empty furniture out and rip up and spray under the floors in our other upstairs rooms and so I'm considering smoke bombs of the permethrin variety. I was planning on using these monthly between now and september upstairs under the floors.

My question is do they actually work? Will I be using them frequently enough? Should I use them over a longer time frame?

I have spent a few hours in the cellar checking the timbers down there and haven't found a single hole - its a very dry well ventialted cellar so I'm guessing that's why, but I do plan to carry out the spray treatment down there too sometime this year as the joists and boards are easily accessible and it seems silly not to.

The roofspace is yet to be investigated but I'm sure the surveyor would have noticed woodworm as it is a well lit workshop/loft with the main beams exposed. One of which has been damp after a slow leak (now fixed and dry) and I didn't notice any holes last time I looked and I'm guessing this bit of the beam would appeal to them if they were up there. I will do the smoke treatment up there anyway though I think, with the same frequency I plan to do the upstairs rooms.

Thoughts?

lessonlearned

A simple test to check if woodworm is active.

Attach a piece of paper to beams and any suspect areas. Leave for at least 2 weeks. If the worm is active you will see holes in the paper where they have started to munch their way through.

I think you are wise to spray everywhere - just in case. Check your furniture too.

I think you are on the right track - just monitor the situation closely.

societys_child

2 weeks is a bit short, the "worm stage" is 2 to 5 years where the things happily munch up and down the timbers.

Plenty of info on t'net. eg:
http://www.timberwise.co.uk/2008/03/lifecycle-of-the-woodworm/

eh_what?

Thankyou both for your replies ... good idea regarding the paper, I'll do that and leave it permanently I think. Also good to know they last about 5 years as grubs and then just a few days as bugs. That adjusts my plan of action somewhat. I think I'll smoke bomb every fortnight during the flying season and do it yearly for 5 years. I will cost a bit but far, far, far less than the value of our house/replacement timbers.

cyclonebri1

I "think" I'm right here;

Woodworm need moisture, you say you have sorted the wet issues?
If so the flying beetles won't be back.
Any larvae in there now if not killed will hatch and fly, they don't automatically home in to their "birth place"

Again it's the larvae that do the damage, they will fly soon, hopefully conditions will prevent their re-colonisation.

eh_what?

Thanks, yeah I was kind of wondering if that'd be the case. If the husband would just let me lift a few boards in the other rooms that were always dry and I found nothing then I'd be confident to take the risk...

SG27

As long as it's now dry the adults will look elsewhere for suitable wood to lay their eggs. Personally I wouldn't worry too much about any more chemical treatments. I would monitor the amount of live beetles you see each flight season and make sure they are decreasing.

eh_what?

Yes sounds sensible. Holes are currently only in evidence under the floorboards, there is carpet going down over the top within a couple of weeks - bad timing I know, but needs must! Won't the beetles be trapped and keep laying down there or will they find a way out?

cyclonebri1

They will have already left as flying insects, or if confined have died.