Thatch Treatment Milnerton

Milnerton wraps around the lagoon where the Diep River meets the sea, with Woodbridge Island, the golf course and the Rietvlei wetland all close by. That much water and reed bed shapes the pest picture here more than anything else.

Timber pests around Milnerton

Older homes around Woodbridge Island have timber floors and roofs that can get wood borer. Beetle inspections are available for property transfers.

You'll find older family homes on Woodbridge Island and around the lagoon, blocks of flats near the beach, and large townhouse complexes and estates further inland. Many complexes share roof spaces and walls, which helps rodents and cockroaches move between units. Montague Gardens' warehouses and industrial units are next door and bring their own rodent and stored product issues.

Mosquitoes and midges near the lagoon and Rietvlei are a seasonal headache. Rats move along the river and wetland edges and from the industrial area. Ants and German cockroaches are common in complexes.

Something most people miss

For holiday rentals and lodges, insects falling from an open thatch ceiling are the kind of thing guests photograph. An annual check before the busy season is cheap insurance.

Tell-tale signs

1. Birds pulling reed out of the roof or nesting under the eaves.
2. Insects such as cockroaches or spiders falling from the ceiling.
3. Droppings on beams or along the top of walls under the thatch.
4. Tunnels or loose patches in the thatch where rodents have been moving.

What happens when we come out

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.

Want the full step-by-step? See how our thatch treatment service works.

Stopping a repeat visit

• Do not store firewood or boxes against the walls under the thatch, as they give insects and rodents cover.
• Have electrical wiring in the roof inspected regularly, especially if you have had rodents.
• 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 open thatch ceilings in lapas and lodges checked once a year, since problems are easy to see early.

What affects the price

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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