Do you actually need a fumigation? Only if the insects are living inside something a spray can't get into: the timber of a cupboard, a stack of boxed goods, bags of seed or feed, or a whole storeroom of produce. If the problem is ants, fleas or cockroaches running over floors and walls, a normal insect treatment is quicker and you won't have to leave. We'll tell you which one you need before anything else happens.
What fumigation does that a spray can't
A fumigant is a gas. Once the space is sealed, it works its way into every crack, joint and grain kernel and reaches the insect wherever it's hiding, including the eggs and larvae that sprays never touch. Then it's aired out. Wood borer larvae, for example, can spend a long time tunnelling inside timber before they emerge as beetles, and nothing applied to the surface will reach them there. That's why it works so well on wood-boring beetles and stored product pests, and why it has to be handled with real care.
Jobs we do in and around Stil Bay
- Furniture with wood borer. Old wardrobes, tables and chests, often brought down from a family home inland, sometimes arrive with borer already inside them.
- Infested stored goods. Boxes, linen or packed items in a storeroom or garage that have picked up beetles or moths.
- Pantries and storerooms where weevils, flour beetles or pantry moths have spread through stored food, seed or animal feed.
- Commercial stock for shops or stores holding dry goods that have become infested.
Signs it's a fumigation job
Small round holes in timber with a fine powder underneath, which keeps coming back after you sweep it up. Webbing and clumping in bags of flour, meal or seed. Tiny beetles in sealed packets, or small moths fluttering around the storeroom light. If you're seeing any of those, send us a photo or give us a call and we'll tell you what it looks like.
The day itself
- Assessment. We decide whether to fumigate a room, a storeroom or just the affected items under gas-proof sheeting. Treating a single wardrobe under a tarp is a very different job from treating a whole store.
- Preparation and sealing. Windows, doors, vents and gaps are sealed, or the items are covered and sealed down. We'll go through anything that needs to come out of the space beforehand.
- Application. We apply a registered fumigant such as phosphine. The space then stays sealed for the full exposure time on the label so that every life stage is killed.
- Clearing. We ventilate the space and check that it's clear before anyone goes back in.
Please note: the sealed area must be vacated by people and pets, and kept closed, until we've cleared it. Fumigant gas is dangerous. This is never a DIY job, and it's never done with anyone inside.
Planning around the season
Because a fumigated area has to stand empty, Stil Bay's quieter months are the easiest time to do it. If the furniture with borer is in a holiday home you use mainly in summer, book it well before you're due down rather than in the week the family arrives. The same goes for a shop storeroom: a slow month means less disruption to stock and staff.
What people tend to get wrong
Thinking fumigation protects the item from now on. It doesn't. It kills everything inside at the time, but it leaves nothing behind, so a treated cupboard can be re-infested later by borer from another piece of furniture or new stock brought in. That's why we look at what else is in the house or store while we're there, and why checking new furniture and deliveries matters.
The other one: a bug bomb is not a fumigation. Household foggers settle on surfaces and don't penetrate timber or packed goods at all, so the larvae inside carry on eating while you think the problem is solved.
How much will it cost?
The price depends on what we're fumigating and how much of it: one sheeted piece of furniture, a room, or a full storeroom. How easily the space can be sealed matters, as does the travel from George. If only one item is affected, fumigating that item alone is usually the sensible option. We'll come and look, then give you a free quote with the exposure time and what you need to do on the day.
Seeing insects on surfaces rather than inside things? Have a look at insect control in Stil Bay instead. For a fuller picture of how we fumigate across the region, see fumigation in George.
We're SAPCA registered and have worked in the Garden Route for more than 25 years. Call 044 012 5011 and we'll talk it through.
Questions we get asked
How long must the room stay empty?
Until we've ventilated it and cleared it, which usually means a few days of exposure plus airing time. We'll give you the exact timing for your job before we start.
Can I fumigate just one piece of furniture?
Yes. Single items can be sealed under gas-proof sheeting and fumigated on their own, which is often the best option when only one piece has borer.
How do I know if the borer is still active?
Fresh, pale powder below the holes, especially after you've cleaned it away, is the clearest sign. Old, dark holes with no new dust may be from an infestation that has already died out.
Can my neighbours stay in their homes?
Yes. Only the sealed area is vacated. We seal it properly and keep the treated space closed until it's cleared.
Does fumigation damage furniture or fabrics?
Registered fumigants such as phosphine don't stain or leave a residue on timber or fabric when used correctly. We'll tell you about anything sensitive that should be removed first.