Your questions answered
Woodworm Treatment FAQs
Clear, honest answers from our surveyors on identifying woodworm, how treatment works, what it costs and the guarantee that backs every job. If your question is not here, call us on a free, no-pressure line.
Finding small holes in your floorboards, beams or a favourite piece of furniture is unsettling. The good news is that woodworm is one of the most treatable timber problems in a UK home — once you know what you are dealing with. Below are the questions homeowners and landlords ask us most, grouped into three areas. For a quick check before reading, our signs of woodworm guide shows you exactly what to look for, and a free survey settles any doubt.
Identifying woodworm
General questions
How do I know if I have woodworm?
The clearest sign is small round exit holes in timber — usually 1–2mm for the common furniture beetle, the species behind roughly three quarters of UK cases. Look as well for fine, gritty bore dust (frass) beneath the holes, timber that crumbles or sounds hollow, and small brown beetles near windows in late spring and summer. Our signs of woodworm guide walks through each one, or book a free woodworm survey and we will confirm it for you.
How can I tell if the woodworm is active or historic?
Active infestations show fresh, sharp-edged holes and clean, pale frass that has fallen recently — often a small pile that returns within days of being brushed away. Historic, dormant damage has darkened, dusty holes and no new frass. Live or freshly dead beetles in spring and summer also point to an active problem. It can be hard to judge by eye, so read active vs historic woodworm or let a surveyor confirm it.
Is woodworm dangerous to my home?
Active woodworm steadily eats through the timber it lives in. In floor joists, roof rafters and beams that can become a genuine structural and safety risk over time, particularly with the death watch and house longhorn beetles. Caught early it is straightforward to treat. Our guide on whether woodworm is dangerous explains the structural and health angles in full.
Does woodworm spread to other furniture or rooms?
Adult beetles emerge, fly a short distance and lay eggs in nearby bare timber, so an untreated infestation can gradually spread to adjacent floorboards, skirting, joists and even furniture. It rarely jumps long distances, but a single active piece left untreated in a room can seed the timber around it. That is why we treat the whole affected zone, not just the holes you can see.
Do I always need treatment if I find woodworm holes?
Not always. Many homes have old, historic holes from an infestation that died out decades ago and needs no treatment at all. Some beetles, such as the bark borer (Ernobius mollis), are harmless and frequently mistaken for furniture beetle. Treatment is only worthwhile when the infestation is active. A survey tells you which camp you are in before you spend a penny on chemicals.
Should I be worried about woodworm when buying a house?
Woodworm is one of the most common things flagged in mortgage and home-buyer surveys, and lenders sometimes ask for a specialist timber report before they release funds. It is rarely a deal-breaker — active infestations are treatable and come with a transferable guarantee. If a survey has flagged timber on a property you are buying, a focused woodworm survey will tell you the true scale and likely cost.
How treatment works
Treatment & safety
How does woodworm treatment work?
Standard professional treatment is a water-based permethrin insecticidal spray applied to all affected and at-risk timber. It kills emerging adult beetles and the larvae near the surface, breaking the lifecycle. For structural timber, joist ends and deep infestations we use a penetrating boron gel or paste; for widespread problems with poor access we may recommend fumigation or fogging.
How long does treatment take?
Most homes are treated in a single day. Water-based sprays are touch-dry within a few hours, and you can usually return to normal use of the room the same day once it has ventilated. Larger properties, whole-house jobs or treatments combined with timber repair can take longer — your surveyor confirms the timescale in your written quote before any work begins.
How long does woodworm treatment last?
A properly applied professional treatment lasts for decades — the permethrin remains active in the timber for many years, and we back the work with a 30-year guarantee. The main reason treated timber ever sees beetle again is a fresh damp problem, so keeping the property dry is the single best way to make treatment last. See how long woodworm treatment lasts for the detail.
Can I treat woodworm myself, or do I need a professional?
DIY permethrin sprays work well on small, accessible, surface infestations — a single chair or a short run of skirting. They fall short on structural timber, hidden joists, large areas or any case where you are not certain the infestation is active. DIY products also come with no survey, no certificate and no guarantee. Our DIY vs professional comparison weighs up the real costs of each.
Is woodworm treatment safe for my children and pets?
Modern water-based permethrin treatments are low-odour and, once dry, are considered safe for households with children and pets — permethrin is the same active ingredient used in many veterinary and household products. We ask that people and animals stay out of the treated room until it is touch-dry and well ventilated, usually a few hours. All products we use are HSE-approved; you can read more about biocide safety on the HSE biocides pages.
Can you treat woodworm in loft and roof timbers?
Yes — roof spaces are one of the most common places we treat. Rafters, purlins and joists are sprayed or, where damage is deeper, treated with boron paste. Roof timber is high-risk because problems often go unnoticed for years. There is one important check first: if there are bats in the roof, treatment may need to wait (see the listed-buildings and bats question below). Our guide to woodworm in roof timbers has more.
Can you treat woodworm in floorboards and joists?
Yes. Suspended timber floors and their joists are a classic site for the common furniture beetle, especially where sub-floor ventilation has been blocked. We lift or access boards as needed, spray or paste the timber, and only replace boards where beetle damage has gone structural. See woodworm in floorboards for what to expect.
Can you treat woodworm in furniture and antiques?
Yes, and it can usually be done without harming the piece. Smaller items respond well to surface treatment, and valuable antiques can be handled carefully to preserve patina and finish. Our guide to treating woodworm in furniture covers DIY options and when a specialist is the safer choice for a treasured piece.
What if the damage is structural, or there is damp too?
Where beetle attack has weakened joists, rafters or beams beyond what treatment alone can save, we carry out structural timber repair and replacement — splicing in new timber, resin repairs or full replacement — then treat the surrounding sound timber. Active infestations often go hand in hand with damp, since weevils and persistent furniture beetle thrive in moist wood, so where needed we also address the cause through our dry rot and damp treatment service. The survey identifies all of this up front so there are no surprises mid-job.
What it costs
Cost & guarantee
How much does woodworm treatment cost?
It depends on the area treated and how easy it is to access. As a rough guide, a single garage starts from around £200+VAT, a roof space from around £400+VAT, and flooring typically runs £200–£600+VAT. A whole-house treatment is commonly £500–£3,000. Our full woodworm treatment cost guide breaks the price down room by room and explains what moves it.
Is the survey really free?
Yes — a survey is free for most homeowners. A qualified surveyor visits, identifies the species, confirms whether the infestation is active or historic and scopes the work, then sends you a fixed written quote with no obligation to proceed. Book one through our woodworm survey page.
Do you give a fixed quote, or is it an estimate?
You receive a fixed written quote based on what the surveyor actually finds on site, not a vague phone estimate. The price covers the agreed scope of work, so you know exactly what you are paying before anything starts. If the survey reveals hidden structural damage, we explain the options and costs before proceeding — never afterwards.
What does the 30-year guarantee cover?
Our guarantee covers the treated timber against re-infestation by wood-boring beetle for 30 years, backed by a written treatment certificate. It is typically transferable to a new owner, which is useful when you come to sell. The guarantee assumes the timber is kept dry — a new, unrelated damp problem that triggers a fresh infestation falls outside its scope, which is why we always address damp at the same time.
Is the guarantee useful when I sell my home?
Very. A treatment certificate and a transferable 30-year guarantee reassure buyers, surveyors and mortgage lenders that timber flagged in a survey has been dealt with properly. It is one of the most common reasons homeowners and landlords arrange treatment before putting a property on the market.
Do you cover my area?
We cover England, Scotland and Wales, with local surveyors based around the country rather than a single office. From London and Bristol to Glasgow, Birmingham, Plymouth and the South West coast, there is a team near you. Check areas we cover to find your nearest surveyor.
Can you treat woodworm in a listed building or where there are bats?
Yes, but with extra care. Historic and listed timber — old oak in particular, where death watch beetle lives — needs methods that respect the fabric of the building, so we adapt the treatment accordingly. Bats are a separate legal matter: all UK bat species and their roosts are protected by law, and disturbing them is a criminal offence. If there is any sign of bats in a roof, treatment must pause until a bat check is carried out. See the GOV.UK guidance on bats, protection, surveys and licences. Tell your surveyor at the booking stage and we will handle it correctly.
Helpful next steps
Book a free woodworm survey
A qualified surveyor confirms whether your infestation is active and scopes the treatment — free for most homeowners.
Learn more →Woodworm treatment cost guide
Transparent UK pricing by room, roof space, floor and whole house, plus what drives the price.
Learn more →Woodworm treatment explained
How professional treatment works, the methods we use and the 30-year guarantee on every job.
Learn more →Signs of woodworm
The tell-tale exit holes, frass and beetles — and how to tell active from historic.
Learn more →Is woodworm dangerous?
The real structural and health risks, and when you need to act quickly.
Learn more →Areas we cover
Find your nearest surveyor across England, Scotland and Wales.
Learn more →Get rid of woodworm — for good
Book a free survey today. Fixed written quote, BPCA-trained technicians and a 30-year guarantee on treated timber.
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