4 Vital Tips on Preventing Woodworm
One of the leading causes of structural damages in homes is woodworm infestation. These timber feasting beetles are attracted to soft, easy to chew wood because they search for opportune places to lay their eggs and it enables their young to escape the nest with ease. Trapped condensation brought about from improper ventilation is therefore a huge influence on the formation of this problem. The damp conditions caused by this create ideal circumstances for woodworm to appear. If an infestation is allowed to linger then serious structural damage can occur often amounting to total replacement of foundations within the house. This is why it is important that they are stopped as soon as possible and no better way to start than preventing their infestation in the first place.
- Ventilation
As noted in the opening paragraph the major reason for the presence of woodworm is moisture being unable to escape the home and since the air cannot account for this surplus of water it thus much attach itself to a physical objects such as walls, floorboards, furniture, etc. When dampness goes untreated certain problems form like dry rot and wet rot which are hugely attractive for woodworm that thrive on these conditions. Methods of dealing with this are to implement modern ventilations system in key areas of condensation build-up such as the kitchen and bathroom. These can be bought in your local DIY store. You should also leave window and doors open when using items that produce steam i.e. when cooking or showering.
- Maintenance
There are certain areas of the house which you should keep well maintained in order to avoid unpleasant conditions such as woodworm occurring. One suggestion is to keep your garden well-trimmed as when long grass touches the outside walls it accumulates moisture. Another helpful tip is to ensure your furniture and clothing are never tightly bunched together e.g. in a storage room or boxes. This allows for proper air circulation which reduces dampness occurring. Cleaning the walls regularly and applying new coats of paint can also help along with opting for bare floorboards over carpet covered ones.
- DIY Removal
If you do see the presence of woodworm e.g. small holes in the floorboards then you should not immediately panic. There are plenty of hardware stores that sell sprays and gels designed to irradiate woodworm infestations. If the formation is relatively new then this should be enough to stop any more damage occurring but if they have been there a long time then it can be almost impossible to completely remove the entire colony as eggs are buried deep within.
- Professional Inspection
The most advisable form of prevention is to hire a contractor to come to your house and do an overall inspection of the infrastructure for evidence of dampness and signs of woodworm. They can also offer advice on susceptible areas within the home which need seeing to and apply the best solutions if there is an infestation.
Hopefully these four tips have helped to relieve any fears of the possibility of woodworm infestation occurring. Just remember to always keep a well-ventilated home, be vigilant in your inspections and act fast if any evidence appears.
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