Wood Borer Treatment Loevenstein

Loevenstein is a leafy Bellville suburb climbing up towards the Tygerberg Hills, with the nature reserve right on its doorstep. It's mostly quiet residential streets, so our work here is about family homes and the wildlife edge above them.

Timber pests around Loevenstein

Thatched lapas and older wooden ceilings and floors can carry wood borer, so check for small round holes and powdery dust. We also do beetle inspections for property transfers.

Homes are largely spacious free-standing houses from the 1960s and 70s, many with tiled roofs, wooden ceilings and mature gardens. Swimming pools, thatched lapas and braai areas are common in the bigger yards. Older roofs often have gaps at the fascia boards that rats and squirrels use to get into the ceiling.

Rats, mice and squirrels in roofs are the main calls, with ants and spiders close behind. Wasps nest under eaves and in lapas during summer. Homes on the reserve edge see the occasional scorpion.

Worth knowing

Borer treatments are applied in the roof or to furniture, not in living areas, so children and pets just need to stay clear while we work and while it dries.

Tell-tale signs

1. Fine powder, called frass, building up under wooden items or on the floor below roof timbers.
2. Timber that breaks easily and shows a network of tunnels inside.
3. A beetle inspection for a property transfer has flagged activity.
4. Floorboards that feel soft or crumble at the edges when you press on them.
5. Small round or oval exit holes in timber, furniture or floorboards.

Our process, step by step

We start with an inspection to confirm the beetle species and whether the holes are active or old, because old damage does not need treating. Exposed timber such as roof trusses, beams and floor joists is treated with a residual borer spray that penetrates the surface and kills emerging beetles and young larvae. Where the wood is thick or the infestation is deep, we inject product directly into the flight holes and drilled galleries. Badly weakened timber should be replaced by a builder, and we tell you which pieces are past saving. Valuable furniture can be sealed and fumigated instead.

1. Inspection

   We check the roof space, floors and timber features with good lighting and probe suspect wood.

2. Identify the beetle

   We confirm the species from the holes, frass and any beetles found, and report European house borer where required.

3. Mark the damage

   Active areas are mapped, and any structurally weak timber is noted for replacement.

4. Spray and inject

   Exposed timber is sprayed and heavily infested pieces are injected through the exit holes.

5. Report and certificate

   You get a written report, and where needed a Certificate of Compliance for the property transfer.

Stopping a repeat visit

• If you are buying or selling, book the beetle inspection early so it does not delay the transfer.
• Check second-hand furniture for holes and fresh powder before you bring it home.
• Seal or varnish bare wood surfaces, because beetles prefer to lay eggs in rough, untreated grain.
• Use treated timber for any roofing, decking or building work, and check the treatment marks on it.
• Have the roof timbers looked at every few years in an older house.

Pricing, honestly

The price depends on how much timber needs treating, how easy the roof space is to get into and which beetle we are dealing with. A single piece of furniture is a very different job to a full roof of trusses. Injection work, replacement advice and certificates for transfers are all included in a free quote once we have seen the property.

Adult beetles emerge mainly from late spring through summer, roughly October to February in Cape Town, which is when fresh holes and powder show up. That is the best time to spot an active problem, but treatment can be done all year round.

Questions we get asked in Loevenstein

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