Thatch Treatment for Glencairn homes and businesses

Glencairn is a quiet strip of False Bay coast where the Simon's Town train runs right past the beach and the houses step up the slopes toward the mountain. Behind the sand sits a reedy wetland, and that one feature explains a good share of the calls we get from here.

Glencairn: what drives timber pests here

Older cottages near the beach have timber floors and roof beams that suffer in the damp, salty air, which suits borer. Beetle certificate inspections are routine when holiday homes change hands.

Homes on the heights are mostly freestanding family houses with big windows and decks, some built into the slope with retaining walls and dark storerooms underneath. Down near the water there are older holiday cottages, some with timber floors and roofs that take a beating from salt air. Holiday lets stand empty for weeks and then fill up, which gives rodents time to settle in unnoticed.

What gives them away

1. Tunnels or loose patches in the thatch where rodents have been moving.
2. Droppings on beams or along the top of walls under the thatch.
3. Insects such as cockroaches or spiders falling from the ceiling.
4. Rustling or scratching in the roof at night.

A note from the field

Pale, fresh powder means activity; dark, compacted dust in old holes usually means the beetles left long ago. That distinction saves a lot of unnecessary treatment.

How we handle thatch treatment in Glencairn

We start by inspecting the underside of the roof, the poles, the laths and the eaves, looking for borer exit holes, frass and rodent or bird activity. Affected poles and laths are treated with a borer spray or injection designed for timber, applied to the wood rather than soaked through the thatch. For insects living in the thatch, we use a targeted residual treatment on the underside, keeping it as light as will do the job. Rodents are handled with traps and tamper-resistant bait stations placed at wall plates and entry points, and we advise on bird netting or proofing at the eaves. Fire safety of the thatch itself, such as retardant treatment, is a separate specialist job and we will tell you if it looks overdue.

1. Roof inspection

   We look at the underside of the thatch, every accessible pole and lath, and the eaves and ridge.

2. Identify the problem

   We separate active borer from old damage and confirm which insects, rodents or birds are involved.

3. Timber treatment

   Affected poles and laths are treated with borer spray or injection.

4. Thatch and pest treatment

   Insects in the thatch are treated from below and rodent stations or traps are placed.

5. Report and recommendations

   You get a report noting what was treated and any timber that a thatcher or builder should replace.

Prevention that actually works

• Have open thatch ceilings in lapas and lodges checked once a year, since problems are easy to see early.
• Ask your thatcher to check the poles and laths for borer whenever the roof is being repaired or re-combed.
• Fit bird netting or wire at the eaves if birds keep pulling reed or nesting there.
• Have electrical wiring in the roof inspected regularly, especially if you have had rodents.
• Do not store firewood or boxes against the walls under the thatch, as they give insects and rodents cover.

How much will it cost?

The price depends on the size of the roof, how much of the structure is exposed and how many poles and laths show borer activity. A small lapa with an open underside is a very different job from a double-storey home with a closed ceiling. Rodent and bird work is added where needed, and timber that is too damaged to treat has to be replaced by a builder or thatcher.

Adult borer beetles emerge mainly in the warmer months, so fresh powder and holes often appear from late spring into summer. Rodents move into thatch most during the wet Cape winters when it offers dry shelter. Treatment can be done at any time of year, though a dry day makes inspecting the roof easier.

Frequently asked questions

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