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Trouble with insects
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| One common misunderstanding log homeowners have is that their logs are deteriorated because they have an insect problem. That is not exactly accurate. Once rot starts, the insects can follow to feed and breed. Not all bugs cause structural damage to the building, however.
The most common insect in log homes is the carpenter ant. The carpenter ant infests wood that is rotting, although they do not cause the rot. The holes carpenter ants bore are about one quarter inch in diameter. Powderpost beetles may be present but they don't generally do structural damage and are most times not the best indicator of rotting wood. Their holes are more the size of a pencil lead. Neither of these insects do structural damage to the logs themselves but carpenter ants may be a warning sign to you that your logs are getting wet or have some rot in them. Part of the defense against these insects is boron compounds. Borates work by raising the Ph level of the wood to the point where the rot organism is impeded, and subsequently the bugs are less able to attack it.
The wood boring insects that we have in the upper Midwest (carpenter ants and the powderpost beetle) can only digest deteriorated wood. This really makes them a symptom more than a problem in themselves. By getting rid of the rot/moisture problem the bugs will have no food source and will leave or die back. Termites, on the other hand, can do extensive damage to wood that is not rotting. If you suspect you have termites, contact a local professional exterminator to help assess the problem and come up with a plan to get rid of them.
If you have a problem with insects or rotting logs that needs attention, contact us.
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