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.
Wood borer in Milnerton's older homes
Older homes on Woodbridge Island and around the lagoon have timber floors, roof trusses and wooden window frames, and the damp air off the lagoon and the Diep River keeps that timber moist enough for wood borer. Timber decks and jetties facing the water are also at risk. Signs are small round exit holes and fine powder on floors or under beams. Most property transfers need a beetle certificate.
We inspect the roof space, floors, decks and outbuildings, treat active borer and issue the certificate. If timber is badly damaged, we tell you so it can be replaced.
How to tell you have a problem
Tick every sign you have noticed. It takes ten seconds.
Something most people miss
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.
How the treatment works
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.
- Inspection
We check the roof space, floors and timber features with good lighting and probe suspect wood.
- Identify the beetle
We confirm the species from the holes, frass and any beetles found, and report European house borer where required.
- Mark the damage
Active areas are mapped, and any structurally weak timber is noted for replacement.
- Spray and inject
Exposed timber is sprayed and heavily infested pieces are injected through the exit holes.
- Report and certificate
You get a written report, and where needed a Certificate of Compliance for the property transfer.
Stopping a repeat visit
- Check second-hand furniture for holes and fresh powder before you bring it home.
- Have the roof timbers looked at every few years in an older house.
- Keep the roof space ventilated and fix leaks quickly, since damp timber attracts borer.
- Use treated timber for any roofing, decking or building work, and check the treatment marks on it.
- Seal or varnish bare wood surfaces, because beetles prefer to lay eggs in rough, untreated grain.
What affects the price
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.
You can brush a borer product onto a small piece of furniture yourself and it may do the job. Roof timbers are a different story: getting the product into every face of every truss in a hot, cramped roof is hard work, and missing the European house borer is a real problem. I would always get the roof looked at professionally.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a beetle certificate to sell my house?
Most property transfers in the Western Cape require a beetle inspection and a Certificate of Compliance. We do the inspection and issue the certificate where the property qualifies.
Do Woodbridge Island homes often have borer?
Older timber sometimes does. An inspection tells you whether it's active.
Will treatment smell or stain the wood?
Most borer treatments dry with little smell and do not stain bare timber. Polished furniture is treated more carefully.
How do I know if the borer holes are still active?
Look for fresh, pale powder below the holes and clean, sharp edges on the holes themselves. Old holes are usually darker and dusty with no new frass.
Is the European house borer really that serious?
Yes. It attacks structural softwood and is a notifiable pest in the Western Cape, so suspected cases have to be reported and treated.
Can borer spread from furniture to my roof?
It can, which is why infested furniture should be treated or kept away from untreated timber.
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