Wood borer in Port Elizabeth
Finding a hole in timber can leave you wondering whether there is active wood borer and how much of the property needs checking. A hole is a reason to look more closely; it isn't a diagnosis on its own.
True Clean inspects accessible timber in Port Elizabeth and explains the findings and any access limits. This page covers what to tell us about a suspected problem. If you need a certificate for a property sale, the inspection-and-certificate page explains the booking arrangements.
Written by Diederik Visser
Operations, marketing and pest control at True Clean. Seven years in pest control.
First-hand information recorded .
What does a hole in timber tell you?
A visible hole alone doesn't tell us whether treatment is needed. We inspect for activity and explain what we find, rather than choose the next step from the hole someone has described over the phone.
Tell us which piece of timber concerns you and where it is. A concern in furniture, in a roof or around an outside building gives us a starting point for the inspection. Our furniture and treatment articles below explain those topics in more detail.
Why look beyond the piece that concerns you?
The timber that first caught your eye is the starting point, but we try to visually inspect every accessible piece of wood across the property. That includes roof timbers, floors, skirtings and staircases, along with fascia boards and barge boards outside.
Garages, sheds, other outside buildings and wooden fences are part of that scope too. A concern in the roof doesn't mean the timber in the rest of the property can be left out. What we can actually reach and see sets the limits of a visual inspection.
What can an inspection say about concealed timber?
A visual inspection can only cover timber we can access and see. We explain what was inspected and any limits, rather than imply that timber inside closed-up or inaccessible areas has all been checked.
Show us the areas that prompted your concern and tell us about any access problem. If timber can't be reached, that remains a limit on what we can say about it. Any next steps depend on the findings, not just the original description of the problem.
Questions we get asked
Do you need access to outside buildings as well?
Yes. The inspection can include accessible timber in garages, sheds, outside buildings and fences, not just the rooms in the house.
Does a visible hole tell you whether treatment is needed?
Not by itself. We inspect for activity and explain the findings and the accessible scope.
What does the work cost?
The listed price covers the inspection and certificate. VAT is included. Tell us about the property and any access issues when booking.
R978 for inspection and certificate, VAT included.
See the travel charges by area for work outside Port Elizabeth/Gqeberha.
Prices can change. We keep the site up to date as best we can, and the price we quote you before we start is the one you pay.
Tell us what you're seeing
Tell us where the problem is and what you've noticed. We'll take it from there.
Or phone 061 905 0514 if you'd rather talk to a person.