Timber Treatment Services

Woodworm infestation and other wood-boring insect issues.

Woodworm Infestation: Our Process

1. Inspection
2. Assessment of Treatment Required
3. Determine the Correct Course of Treatment

Our process starts with a thorough inspection of the affected property. In cases of woodworm, the first priority is to establish whether the beetle is active. Assuming there is either a new case of woodworm infestation - or a recurrence of a previous outbreak - we then need to determine the exact course of treatment required. Often this can vary depending on the severity of the attack, the location and accessibility of the infected timbers and the type of property. As an example, a case of woodworm infestation in the main roof timbers of a thatched cottage would require prompt action as the wood-boring beetle considerably weakens the integrity of the timbers supporting the roof. By contrast, a relatively localised case of woodworm in a few floorboards or skirting-board would require only require a topical approach as the structural risk is greatly reduced.

Respecting your Property and Home | Protecting Floors, Surfaces and Belongings

Our process then moves on to fully protecting the areas of the property where we are working from dirty boots, tools and equipment. When we leave you won't need to clean up after us! Next comes exposing the affected area ready for treatment. This might, for example, involve lifting carpets or floor coverings to gain access to floorboards and joists.

The Woodworm Treatment Starts

The treatment itself is then done; we apply the woodworm treatment into the affected timbers and generously overlap into adjacent areas so there is no risk of re-infestation.

Finally, we clean up and issue you with our excellent 10 year insurance backed guarantee.

For Free Advice or to Book an Inspection simply fill in the quick contact form to the right and we'll be in touch to arrange a visit.

Eradication and treatment of wet rot.

Wet rot usually comes about as a result of a persistent damp condition or penetration of water leaking into the affected timbers. Commonly, damaged down pipes in older properties can result in water ingress through the masonry and brickwork. Over time this will often lead to wet rot in the timbers subjected to sustained moisture. Note - for wet rot to occur very little actual moisture is necessary; it is actually the persistence of the high humidity levels that forms the perfect conditions for wet rot to develop.

So what is 'wet rot'? Simply put, timber that has been subjected to long-term high levels of moisture which has lead to a general degradation in the integrity of the timber. Good examples 'in the wild' are stacks of sawn timber left in woodland areas; the timber at the bottom of the stack hardly sees the sun, is poorly ventilated and subject to prolonged wet. The timber degrades and before you know it you can crush an entire plank between your fingers. Timber is one of the most resilient materials man has access to, but it needs to treated with care. Actually, oak is the second hardest natural material after steel - and that is why it is so popular in timber-framed structures such as open barns, car-ports and the like. Properly ventilated and cared for, solid oak will last for many centuries as we can see from ancient properties where oak was the construction material of choice. Not surprisingly, it is more resilient to rot than softwoods such as pine, larch, deal, and other firs.

Wet rot needs to be dealt with quickly for a number of reasons: the weakening of the integrity of the timber can lead to structural concerns and issues; super-saturated timber will usually give off a musty damp smell which can pervade the whole house; and most importantly of all, it can turn to dry rot.

If you ever spot anything like this in your property, you should not delay in seeking expert advice: you have dry rot.

The Dreaded Dry Rot - Act Fast! This Requires Rapid Attention

Firstly, let's examine the difference between wet rot and dry rot. Simply put, dry rot often (but not always) occurs in timbers that have previously been affected by wet rot but where the ambient humidity level has fallen. Typically, levels of relative humidity below around 18% present a risk for dry rot to form. Above this level, the timber is likely to be too 'wet' to support dry rot. Note: this is a general rule only; exceptions will always occur.

So what causes the relative humidity to change or drop? The most likely is an increase of ventilation. This could be opening up air-bricks that had become blocked with debris or perhaps external clearance around the property allowing increased air flow through vents. Increasing ventilation, especially in cellars and basements, will generally decrease humidity levels. Likewise, repairing a cracked cast iron down pipe which has been leaking for many years will 'dry up' the source of the humidity on the internal side of the wall. After a prolonged spell of high levels of humidity, the affected timber is then 'ripe' to fall victim to dry rot.

The dangers of dry rot are manyfold but the most important message to deliver here is the sheer speed at which dry rot can spread. Being a fungal growth (Serpula lacrymans), carrying spores which are carried in the air, dry rot is a far more serious infection to deal with than common wet rot. If wet rot is the tortoise, dry rot is (without a doubt) the hare and the spores can spread across non-infected surfaces to new areas which they will then set about destroying. Dry rot is, unquestionably, the most worrying of all timber infections and diseases.

Distinguishing between wet rot and dry rot - and doing self-help diagnosis - is unfortunately rather difficult. Clear cases of wet rot are often wrongly identified by homeowners as dry rot, whereas conversely serious cases of mycelium infected dry rot can be diagnosed as wet rot. It is for this simple reason that we do not attempt to offer online diagnosis - rather, we feel it is far safer to suggest you call us and we will carry out an appraisal and diagnosis. That way you'll know (for sure) that you're getting the right information and treatment.