Wood Borer Treatment for Three Anchor Bay homes and businesses

Three Anchor Bay is a tiny pocket of the Atlantic Seaboard between Green Point and Sea Point, with the rocky bay and promenade at its feet. It is mostly apartments, so pest problems tend to be shared ones.

Timber pests around Three Anchor Bay

Most buildings here are concrete, so wood borer is rare, but built-in timber cupboards and older wooden floors in converted homes can be affected.

Older apartment blocks from the mid-twentieth century stand next to modern glass buildings and a handful of converted homes. Shared ducts, garbage chutes and basement parking make it easy for cockroaches and rats to move between floors. Ground-floor units and those near the refuse rooms usually see trouble first.

A note from the field

The mistake people make is filling the holes with wood filler and polishing over them. The larvae are inside the wood, not in the holes.

The European house borer is notifiable in the Western Cape. If we find it, it gets reported and treated properly, which is better for you in the long run.

Signs to look for

1. Faint scratching or ticking sounds from roof timbers on quiet nights.
2. A beetle inspection for a property transfer has flagged activity.
3. Small round or oval exit holes in timber, furniture or floorboards.
4. Adult beetles found on windowsills or near lights in late spring and summer.

What happens when we come out

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.

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

Prevention that actually works

• Keep the roof space ventilated and fix leaks quickly, since damp timber attracts borer.
• 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.

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 Three Anchor Bay

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