How Long Does Woodworm Treatment Last?
Most woodworm treatments last for around 20 years, although the effectiveness of your treatment could continue for considerably longer and well past your guarantee period.
A woodworm treatment can kill all infesting insects and prevent them from returning for several decades if applied correctly.
The treatment consists of a protective barrier, which means new woodworms cannot lay eggs and avoids the problem reappearing in new parts of your property.
Factors in the Duration of a Woodworm Treatment
Undoubtedly, the biggest consideration when dealing with potentially disastrous woodworm is to use a professional, accredited contractor that offers a suitable guarantee against their work.
Domestic treatments are available but have significant limitations:
- Aerosol insecticides can only spot-treat woodworm and won't affect the whole timber frames or panels in your home.
- If woodworms have caused structural damage, this may not be evident and can remain even if you have managed to remove the infestation.
- Specialist chemical products act as residual insecticides and are a long-term solution - and not something you can buy or use safely as a private individual.
Therefore, if you have a woodworm concern, the best action is to contact a professional to survey your property, recommend woodworm treatments, and use the appropriate chemicals without the potential for harm to you or your family.
Woodworm treatments only tend to take around one day, and you'll find guarantees ranging from 20 to 30 years in most cases.
How Quickly Will a Woodworm Treatment Work?
The other crucial timescale is how quickly your woodworm treatment will get to work - these treatments kill the bugs, eggs, and all larvae nestled into the tiniest crevices in your timbers.
If you have woodworm visible on the surface of your wood, the initial treatment will work pretty much immediately.
Total application times tend to be up to a few hours, and it is essential to treat the entire property, as there is a strong likelihood of eggs being present that you can't necessarily see.
Woodworm infestations in less accessible parts of your home can be harder to treat, but it still shouldn't be more than a day before a professional has treated all areas.
Signs You May Have a Woodworm Infestation
There are several things to watch out for, which might indicate that you have a woodworm infestation on your hands:
- Tiny holes in wood, usually just one or two mm across.
- Dust appearing around the holes.
- Crumbly edges on your boards or joists.
- Small tunnels inside wooden beams.
- Damage to your flooring or support timbers.
You can even see adult woodworms crawling out of timber holes in the summer since they try to find the light after boring holes in your wood.
Live or dead beetles on your window sills are a key indicator.
One of the problems is that it isn't always clear whether you have an active infestation or signs leftover from a previous occurrence - dormant infestations don't usually require treatment.
Professionals will use testing methods to determine the extent of the issue, using processes such as filling woodworm holes to see whether any evidence of boring occurs.
Is a Woodworm Infestation Serious?
Not all woodworm infestations cause huge difficulties or compromise the structural integrity of your home. However, untreated woodworm can weaken timbers over time, even causing roofs and supporting beams to collapse.
Therefore a contractor will act quickly if they find woodworm active in your roof, attic beams, structural timber frames, joists or any load-bearing woodwork.
To prevent woodworm, you can:
- Avoid any dampness in your wood.
- Keep your property warm and ventilated.
- Opt for quality hardwoods, which are woodworm resistant.
- Check routinely for woodworms if purchasing older furniture.
- Remove all infected wood, even after treatment.
- Replace previously affected timber as soon as possible.
- Use timber treatments and protective finishes.
If in any doubt, we'd recommend seeking advice from a qualified exterminator.
While woodworm doesn't necessarily mean you have a major crisis on your hands, it could develop into one if you don't take decisive steps to eradicate the infestation.
Woodworm Treatment Options
There are several treatments; much depends on where you have woodworm.
Surface treatments are commonly used to remove woodworm in antique furniture, using a brush or sprayed application.
Injection treatments remove woodworm deep beneath the surface of your timbers, placed inside the boreholes or by drilling and applying a paste or gel into the wood.
Frequently Asked Questions - How Long Does Woodworm Treatment Last?
Here we'll run through some common questions about woodworm treatments and how long they should keep your home protected from these intrusive pests.
How Can I Be Sure if I Have a Woodworm Problem?
Typical signs of woodworm include tiny holes in your timbers and a layer of dust nearby.
However, this could be from an old infestation and doesn't always mean that you have live woodworm in your timbers.
The only way to be certain whether you have an infestation that requires treatment is to contact an accredited exterminator and arrange a convenient time for them to conduct a thorough survey.
Do All Woodworm Infestations Have to be Treated?
In short, yes! The longer woodworms have to set up home in your timbers, the worse the potential problems.
You should destroy any wood-boring insect as soon as possible and before it has time to cause extreme damage.
Inactive infestations may not require urgent treatment, but it is still important to repair any timber damage and ensure you have a preventative strategy in place to avoid a recurrence.
Treating damaged wood and removing old timbers with previous infestations is worthwhile. There is always a likelihood that weakened wood will cause difficulties in time, or a new batch of woodworm will move in.
What is the Fastest Way to Get Rid of Woodworms?
Your quickest option is to organise a property survey, which establishes the extent of the problem, and which chemical pesticides are best suited to the job.
Chemicals are never a substance to use without prior training, so the best step is to contact a professional to complete the infestation treatment.
References:
- https://www.richardsonandstarling.co.uk/woodworm/faq/
- https://dbi-ltd.com/blog/2021/03/29/how-long-does-woodworm-treatment-last/
- https://www.permagard.co.uk/advice/how-to-treat-woodworm
By Johnny Fuller
Home Improvement editor at NWrenovations.com
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