A key cause of structural damage in damp homes revolves around the woodworm. This post will look into the lifecycle of a woodworm, and provide advice on what to look for in your home to determine the age of your woodworm. When you know the age of the woodworm in your home, you can decipher the amount of damage you are likely to find.
What Is a Woodworm?
A woodworm is a known larva that eats wood. There are different types of woodworm, including Ambrosia Beetles, Woodboring Weevils and Powderpost Beetle, to name a few. A woodworm will eat away at wooden furniture or your wooden house structure, causing it to lose its integrity and strength.
The Lifecycle of a Woodworm
The lifecycle of a woodworm starts with the pregnant female laying her eggs into the timber. To ensure the eggs’ safety, the pregnant female will choose crevices in the wood to lay her eggs. The eggs will hatch typically after a few weeks, and the larvae will hatch downwards. A woodworm’s life at the larval stage lasts between two to five years and will spend its time eating away at the timber.
After the woodworm stage, they will form a chamber which allows it to tunnel towards the timber surface. There the woodworm transition into an adult woodworm beetle. The beetle will then eat through the thin veneer; however, the adult beetles do not live for long.
Signs of Woodworm
The most common sign of having woodworm are holes appearing in your wood; the holes vary in sizes but are typically around 0.15cm in diameter. The holes are round or oval-shaped and appear on the surface of your items or home.
Bore dust is also a sign of woodworm, and you will notice that wooden items might feel weaker due to the integrity being damaged.
Why a Woodworm Threatens Your Home
As mentioned, woodworm can threaten your home as they make timber weaker. If your timber home structure is damaged beyond repair, it can pose a high safety risk. Luckily, professionals can eliminate the potential threat of woodworms before the structural integrity of your home is severely damaged.
Treatment
If your property is suffering from woodworm, Cotswold Treatments can help with an expert diagnosis and solution. We can discuss the appropriate treatments for your home.