Borer Control

Borer-infested timber can be treated, but if timbers are severely weakened you should strengthen the timber or ultimately the timber may need to be replaced.
 
HEALTH AND SAFETY PRECAUTIONS:
 
OUR TREATMENT METHODS ARE SAFE TO USE, AS WE FOLLOW LABEL DIRECTION OF PRODUCTS BEING APPLIED, RECOMMENDED BY MANUFACTURES.
 

• WHEN USING WATER BASED TREATMENTS IN CEILING SPACE AND UNDERFLOOR AREAS, YOU DON'T HAVE TO VACATE THE PROPERTY.

 

• IF SOLVENT BASED SPRAY TREATMENT IS BEING USED TECHNICIAN WILL ADVISE, IF THE PREMISE NEEDS TO BE VACATED USUALLY UP TO 3 TO 24 HOURS DEPENDING ON AREA BEING TREATED.

 

• IF THERMAL FOGGING IS REQUIRED FIRECOMMS WILL BE ADVISED AND AEAS WILL NEED TO BE VACATED.

• REMOVE CLUTTER AND INSULATION FROM AREAS TO BE TREATED.

 

• REMOVE PETS BEFORE TREATMENT.

• COVER FISH TANKS AND TURN OFF PUMP. COVER ANY ITEMS SUCH AS FOOD AND DISHES AND ANY OTHER ITEMS NECESSARY TO PREVENT OVER SPRAY FROM SETTLING ON UNWANTED SURFACES.

COST:
 
Price will be depending on type of treatment, the level of infestation, problem areas, access and expected warranty. Every place is different we may treat your property once and you may have a very successful results or you might need ongoing maintenance for heavy infestation so please call to discuss levels of infestation and size of property.
For heavy infestations more than one treatment may be required have a look at our family package deals for ongoing maintenance or we can design a programme to suit the severity of infestation on yours and your neighbouring properties. Persistence and patience is the key for effective pest control.
 
PREP AREA:
 
For best results, wash or wipe down surfaces to remove dust and dirt before we treat. If the areas to be treated are dusty or greasy it is good practice to clean these down first to prevent runs and for the best effect of the treatment.
 
Identifying:
 
There are up to 7 species of borer in New Zealand. The most common found in building structures and furniture are the Common House Borer and the Two Toothed Longhorn Borer.
 
Common House Borer-Signs that you may have borer in your home timbers, doors or furniture include small (2-4mm) flight holes on the surface of the timber and piles of fine sawdust. Common borer females lay up to 100 eggs on the surface of bare timber or in old borer holes. The eggs take 4-5 weeks to hatch and the larvae then bore into the wood, where they stay, chomping away for up to 4 years. They then pupate before leaving the wood, creating holes. The adults are airborne for about a month between November and March, to mate before the cycle starts all over again.
 
Two Toothed Longhorn Borer -is a native to New Zealand and also common. It is a much larger beetle and its flight holes are larger, up to 7mm, and more oval in shape. This type of borer is less likely to be found in buildings.Two tooth borer can remain in the wood for up to 11 years before exiting in autumn. Damage is usually severe from two tooth borer and timber will often have to be replaced. Because two tooth borer will also attack living trees, they can be more common in bush clad areas.
 
Prevention:
 
Treat untreated timber. Borer like seasoned or moist untreated timber. They are often found on the south side of buildings or in floor timbers because these areas are prone to damp. They are also fond of soft (sapwood) or untreated wood and can be common in untreated native timbers in older homes. It is not uncommon to have borer attack some boards and not others - the untouched ones are probably harder heart wood. Some wood is naturally resistant to insect attack - for example, macrocarpa. Kiln drying radiata pine improves borer resistance. Provided it remains dry, radiata is suitable for internal framing, heart quality macrocarpa and eucalypt species for weather-exposed timbers. Sawn timber is also more prone to borer attack than a smooth surface.
 
Treatment:
 
Our treatment methods which are mainly carried out to ceilings voids, subfloors and basements:
 
Residual Saturation Spray Treatment -This type of treatment can only be used on bare timber, so you may need to strip the timber of paint or vanish before treatment. Insulation may need to be removed as well. Airborne treatments (misting or fogging) to areas with no access will only kill the adults and won't stop the larvae from eating away at the inside of your timber. So we recommend a yearly treatment during November and March.
 
If you see evidence of borer in your weatherboards, there is a good chance the borer is more extensive than it seems. This is because borer tends to attack from the inside of the boards. The only long-term solution is to replace the affected weatherboards and treat the framing timber behind, while the wall is open.
 
Injecting The Flight Holes- in Furniture and on Painted Surfaces.