[29/10/2015]

A recent study indicates that a major concern of homeowners is the effect that termites and woodborers can have on their house.

Termites can be often difficult to detect until damage is done. Here’s what to look out for.

Possible signs of termites:

• Earthen masses on door architraves, walls, stairs or skirting boards
• Dampness on walls
• Damage to paint on windows and architraves, blistering or bulging areas
• Damage to electrical wiring in roof and sub-floor
• Earthen masses in the sub-floor area particularly in moist places such as the bathrooms and kitchens
• Damage to flooring bearers, roof timbers and joists of properties with pier and wall construction

Borers also damage wood and are sometimes mistaken for termite damage. A borer could be a beetle such as Longicorn, Auger, weevils and pinworms.

Common signs:

• Holes vary in size and shape on the surface of the wood
• Signs of larvae
• Small piles of borer dust on or beneath timber
• Signs of paint damage, such as rippling
• Tunnels beneath the surface

Canterbury Timber Windows and Doors use carefully selected quality materials with termite and borer protection. Meranti products receive an exclusive Protim® treatment, which utilises a specially designed formula to protect timber against external challenges such as the environment, termites and wood boring insects.  KD Hardwood is a resilient timber that most species of insect prefer to avoid and Western Red Cedar has built-in natural preservatives that provide resistance to not only borers and termites, but also rot and fungus growth.  This makes Canterbury Timber Windows and Doors a safe choice when deciding to enjoy the beauty of timber while combating its vulnerabilities.

For more information about timber materials and termite protection visit our website.