Pest control in Bezuidenhout Valley homes

Pest control in Bezuidenhout Valley focuses on its old housing: rats in corrugated roofs, subterranean termites and wood borer in original timber floors and frames, cockroaches in older kitchens and small shops, ants in summer and fleas where dogs live. We inspect the house first, identify what's active and treat it so it doesn't keep coming back.

Bez Valley: an old working suburb

Bezuidenhout Valley, known to most people as Bez Valley, lies east of the city centre, in a valley between the ridges with Kensington and Observatory on either side. It's one of Johannesburg's older suburbs, built up in the early 1900s on what was once the Bezuidenhout family farm. Bezuidenhout Park, with its old farmhouse, is still there. Much of the original housing remains: small houses with corrugated-iron roofs and front verandas, semis and terraces, plus some blocks of flats, with corner shops and businesses on the main road through the valley.

Those older homes give the suburb its character, and they also hold most of its pest problems. Corrugated roofs and old walls have gaps rats can use. Timber floors, door frames and roof structures have been in place for decades, which is where termites and wood borer do their damage. Closely spaced houses share boundary walls and back lanes, so pests travel between them easily.

The main pests in Bez Valley

Rats

Rats get into the roof where the sheeting meets the wall, through old air vents and through gaps at the eaves. They travel between houses along walls and fences, and feed from bins and gardens. We bait outside in lockable stations, trap inside, and point out where the gaps are. More detail is on our rat control across Johannesburg page.

Subterranean termites

Old houses with suspended timber floors are particularly at risk. Termites come up from the soil, sometimes through foundation walls, and work inside floor joists, floorboards and skirting where you can't see them. Signs include mud tubes, floorboards that feel soft or springy, and winged termites coming out of the floor after the first rains. Our termite control around Rosebank and the eastern suburbs includes a 5-year guarantee and treatment certificate.

Wood borer

Small round holes and fine, powdery dust in floorboards, door frames or old furniture mean wood-boring beetles. They work slowly, over years, but the damage adds up. We check whether the infestation is active before treating the affected timber. See wood borer treatment in the Rosebank area.

Cockroaches

German cockroaches turn up in older kitchens, and the corner shops and takeaways along the main road. American cockroaches come up from old drains in summer. Gel baits and targeted treatments deal with both.

Ants and fleas

Ants nest under old paving and in cracked walls, and fleas build up in homes and yards with dogs. Both are straightforward to treat properly.

How we inspect an old house

We check the roof, from outside and in the roof space if we can get in. We look under the house through the air bricks or a trapdoor if there's a suspended floor, because termite and borer damage often starts there. We tap and probe floorboards, skirting and door frames. Then we treat: soil treatment for termites, timber treatment for borer, bait stations and traps for rats, gel for cockroaches. Our products don't smell and won't stain, and you can stay home. Keep children and pets away from treated surfaces until they've dried.

Termites or wood borer?

Both damage timber, but they're different insects with different treatments:

• Termites: mud tubes, hollow or soft timber with a thin outer skin, no exit holes, winged termites in spring.
• Wood borer: neat round exit holes, fine powdery dust, timber surface intact around the holes.

We always confirm which one before treating.

A mistake we see in older homes

Replacing a damaged floorboard without asking why it failed. If termites caused it, they're still in the soil below and will attack the new board too. Treat the cause first, then repair.

A Bez Valley tip

Keep the air bricks along the base of the walls clear and unblocked. They ventilate the space under suspended timber floors. When they're covered by soil, paving or plants, the space stays damp, and damp timber attracts both termites and wood borer.

What it costs and why

Pest control costs in Bezuidenhout Valley depend on the pest and how much of the house is affected. Rats, cockroaches and ants are routine jobs. Termite and wood borer treatment depends on how much timber and soil is involved and how easy it is to get to, especially under suspended floors. The guide "from" price for each service is listed on our pest control price guide, and we quote after inspecting.

Bez Valley is served as part of our Rosebank pest control service, and nearby Kensington has its own page.

Combat Pest Control is owned and run by Jason van Heerden, with 25 years of hands-on pest control. We're SAPCA registered and registered with the Department of Agriculture under Act 36 of 1947, with service within 24 hours and a 3-month guarantee on general treatments. Ring 084 200 2700 or WhatsApp a photo of the damage.