FEATURES - Timber Infestation
PROTECTING YOUR WOOD
Timber is used for many purposes that range from the building of houses and the making of sailing boats to the simple construction of fence posts. If properly treated against its natural enemies - both animal and vegetable - timber will last for many years. ABS, the professional Damp and Timber Preservation Company, can identify and determine the correct method of dealing with any timber problems after a survey has been carried out in and around your property.
STRUCTURAL
Structural protection is mainly used for wood facings that are on the outside of a building and exposed to the elements. The structure of the facings must be designed so that fresh air can circulate around the wood, as well-ventilated timber gives no encouragement to fungi such as dry rot. Rainwater must also be able to run away freely and quickly across the facings. To protect wood against damp and spray, a safety gap of no less than 10mm should be left between the bottom edge of the timber and the ground.
INFESTATION
Unlike structural protection, chemical protection is principally designed to prevent the damage of timber by pests of various kinds. The wood can either be treated in advance - in which case it is called preventive protection - or it may be necessary to deal with an existing infestation, in this case, curative protection is required.
WOODWORM (Common furniture beetle - Anobium Punctatum)
Woodworm is the most commonly encountered menace to timber, it nests in mostly sap wood which may be either lying in storage or already in use.
In springtime, the female lays her eggs on the timber and after approximately four weeks, the larvae emerge - it is these that are the real menace.
The larvae eat their way into the wood and nest in the upper layers where they can then continue to live for three to four years. As the beetles emerge and eat their way through the previously unmarked surface of the wood, flight holes appear within the wood (2mm across) and fine saw dust gathers as the only visible evidence of the woodworm.
POWDER POST BEETLE (Lyctus Brunneus)
The powder post beetle is a pest that attacks seasoned hardwoods and is known throughout the world. It attacks all types of soft and hard woods and as with woodworm, it is the larvae that causes the damage, normally by eating its way through the grain of the timber and leaving tightly packed, fine sawdust behind. The round flight holes are only 1-2mm across and very hard to spot without a trained eye.
TIMBER TREATMENTS
ABS are approved contractors and are therefore in the position to offer the safest and latest methods available on the market. In recent years, the wood preservation market - particularly insecticides - has come under much scrutiny and whilst wood preservatives have always been safe to use when applied in accordance with the correct Health and Safety Executive (H.S.E) instruction, ABS Preservation are always looking for safer methods of handling/distributing and using of chemicals.