pepe Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 We are in the middle of buying a house, just had the survey done, and there are concerns with some damp, so got a recomended company in to have a look, it needs a damp proof course and treating for woodworm. Now my concern over the woodworm are the chemicals they use, and can you do it yourself? Any advise from you lovely Omleters would be great Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chicken Licken Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 I live in an old victorian terrace. Before I moved it had been treated with a damp course, woodwork treated and furniture beetles got rid of. There don't seem to have been any problems and the company who did the work did a thorough job. For me as I didn't get the work done the hidden cost was changing the guarantees which meant having the work resurveyed and then the guarantees redone in my name. Still worth it if anything did go wrong. I think there is so much H & S legislation that they have to be extremely careful about the chemicals and the advice they give you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AnnieP Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 Are you sure the woodworm are still active? Many houses have traces of woodworm, but of course, they are holes left from long ago. Is there evidence of tiny piles of sawdust everywhere? Believe me, if you can see the wood in question, the sawdust will be clearly evident underneath it. Lots of surveys put "woodworm" just because they see holes..... it makes treatment companies a lot of money..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Karen & co. Posted April 25, 2007 Share Posted April 25, 2007 That's true AnnieP, with wood worm, if the holes in the wood are dark then the worms aren't active, as they are old and full of dust/debris, if they are pale wood coloured with little mounds of sawdust, then they are fresh. The house we are renting at the moment has wood worm in the bathroom, as I found them on the windowsill after they had made their way out, they are little tiny black hard shelled creatures, that come out to mate, then lay their eggs which turn into larvae, and they do the damage, although they usually mate lay and tunnel all wthin a very small space, a specialist who came out to a previous house once told me that they can destroy one floor board, but not touch the one next to it karen x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...