The “woodworm” or common nail beetle (lat.: anobium punctatum) is the most feared wood pest. It prefers sapwood, i.e. the softer part of the wood, in both hardwoods and softwoods. The damage caused by the feeding of the beetle larvae can become enormous over time. The development period of the common nail beetle is up to 10 years and depends not only on temperature and humidity but also on the protein content of the wood. Wiping furniture with a damp cloth can prevent infestation with the common nail beetle. In general, this wood pest requires a relatively high level of moisture in the wood.

A massive infestation with anobia not only endangers the building fabric, it is also not always possible to replace all infested wooden parts on site and in terms of monument protection. This is also the case with these barns in Austria.

Fumigation with sulphuryl difluoride was carried out to eradicate the infestation with anobia and to preserve the building fabric.

To this end, the buildings were first sealed with special gas-impermeable foil so that the highly toxic gas could then be introduced in a controlled manner.

Our technicians monitor the gas injection, measure the concentration of the gas and are permanently on site for safety reasons.