Zonnebloem Wood Borer Treatment

Zonnebloem covers much of what was District Six, between the city centre and Woodstock, with the CPUT campus at its centre. Today it is a mix of campus buildings, newer housing and open land, and that combination gives pests plenty of room.

Zonnebloem: what drives timber pests here

Older homes and church buildings may have timber roofs and floors with borer. Newer buildings are mostly free of it.

The CPUT campus, student residences, schools, churches and mosques sit alongside newer housing developments and older homes. Open land left after the forced removals still surrounds parts of the area. Student residences and shared housing see a quick turnover of occupants, which can bring in bed bugs and cockroaches.

Rats from the open land and old drains are the main concern. German cockroaches and bed bugs show up in residences and shared housing. Pigeons roost on campus and institutional buildings.

What gives them away

1. A beetle inspection for a property transfer has flagged activity.
2. Small round or oval exit holes in timber, furniture or floorboards.
3. Floorboards that feel soft or crumble at the edges when you press on them.
4. Adult beetles found on windowsills or near lights in late spring and summer.

Something most people miss

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.

When we go into a roof, the first thing we look at is the condition of the wall plates and the bottom of the trusses, because damp spots there attract borer.

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

• Seal or varnish bare wood surfaces, because beetles prefer to lay eggs in rough, untreated grain.
• Have the roof timbers looked at every few years in an older house.
• If you are buying or selling, book the beetle inspection early so it does not delay the transfer.
• 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.

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.

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

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