Woodworm Treatment
Woodworm is usually only noticed once the damage has already been done. There is likely to be a number of elongated holes that appear in timber in the late spring or early summer. These are usually about the size of a pinhead and can be round or elongated in shape. It is quite common for holes made by darts to be mistaken for woodworm.
There are two things to be thought about in identifying woodworm as a problem.
There are two things to be thought about in identifying woodworm as a problem.
- The timber may have already been treated and all that is visible is the holes left by the woodworm. In these cases no further action should be necessary.
- If the holes are new, they are bright and clean and quite often some wood dust is
visible in the holes. In these circumstances treatment is usually necessary.
When woodworm is suspected in any timber within the property, (except your own furniture), please ring our repairs call centre on (0116) 252 7007 and they will arrange an appointment for an technician to visit.
At that visit the technician will ascertain if the timber has woodworm or not and if the wood-boring insect is active. It could be that there has been some previous infestation that has already been treated and no further action will be necessary.
If it is found that the infestation is active then it will be necessary to treat the affected timbers. The technician will check in our records to see if the problem has been treated before and if possible will arrange for the work to be carried out under an existing guarantee.
If the property has not had any previous treatment then an order will be given for the work to be carried out.
In the case where the infected timber is not active then no further action would be taken.
If the wood-boring insect is active, a water-based chemical is sprayed over and under the area, and it may be necessary to replace some of the infected timber. This work is carried out by our in house team of operatives.
If the infected timber is painted or varnished then it will need to be completely replaced, as the spray will not penetrate the painted or varnished surface.
The technician will advise you of which rooms will be treated for woodworm and ask if there are any persons living in the house with breathing difficulties such as asthma. If this is the case then sometimes it may be necessary to move the family out of the property whilst the work is carried out. It must be stressed that this is not always the case and normally we work around the family.
An instruction is sent to the contractor who will contact the family to arrange a start date. Before any work can be carried out, tenants must lift any carpets, laminate floors etc., and move all furniture in the room to be treated. Sometimes it may be necessary to treat the whole house and this can be done in two visits.
Once the treatment is started the premises must be vacated for a minimum of eight hours – this is a recommendation given by the Chemical Manufacturer.
Following the eight hours, there may be a slight odour but this will quickly diminish and we are advised it is perfectly safe to relay the carpets and the furniture can be moved back in.
At that visit the technician will ascertain if the timber has woodworm or not and if the wood-boring insect is active. It could be that there has been some previous infestation that has already been treated and no further action will be necessary.
If it is found that the infestation is active then it will be necessary to treat the affected timbers. The technician will check in our records to see if the problem has been treated before and if possible will arrange for the work to be carried out under an existing guarantee.
If the property has not had any previous treatment then an order will be given for the work to be carried out.
In the case where the infected timber is not active then no further action would be taken.
If the wood-boring insect is active, a water-based chemical is sprayed over and under the area, and it may be necessary to replace some of the infected timber. This work is carried out by our in house team of operatives.
If the infected timber is painted or varnished then it will need to be completely replaced, as the spray will not penetrate the painted or varnished surface.
The technician will advise you of which rooms will be treated for woodworm and ask if there are any persons living in the house with breathing difficulties such as asthma. If this is the case then sometimes it may be necessary to move the family out of the property whilst the work is carried out. It must be stressed that this is not always the case and normally we work around the family.
An instruction is sent to the contractor who will contact the family to arrange a start date. Before any work can be carried out, tenants must lift any carpets, laminate floors etc., and move all furniture in the room to be treated. Sometimes it may be necessary to treat the whole house and this can be done in two visits.
Once the treatment is started the premises must be vacated for a minimum of eight hours – this is a recommendation given by the Chemical Manufacturer.
Following the eight hours, there may be a slight odour but this will quickly diminish and we are advised it is perfectly safe to relay the carpets and the furniture can be moved back in.