Pest control in Gezina, Pretoria

Pest control in Gezina usually deals with older buildings: wood borer and termites in original floors and roof timbers, German cockroaches in flats, rats in roofs, bed bugs in rented rooms and fish moths in cupboards. Combat Pest Control serves Gezina from Johannesburg, inspecting first and treating each problem in the way that particular pest needs.

An older suburb with older problems

Gezina is one of Pretoria's older northern suburbs, close to the city centre and part of the Moot. Much of the housing dates from the middle of the twentieth century: modest brick homes with corrugated iron roofs, timber floors and wooden window frames, plus blocks of flats and houses that have been divided into rentals over the years.

Buildings of that age have had decades to collect pests. Wood has dried and cracked, roof seals have loosened, plumbing has been patched more than once, and a steady stream of tenants means things like bed bugs and cockroaches arrive in boxes and furniture. None of that is a reflection on how well people keep their homes. It's just what happens to older buildings in a busy area.

What we treat in Gezina

Wood borer

Small round holes in floorboards, skirtings, door frames or furniture, with fine pale dust underneath, are the classic sign. The larvae tunnel inside the timber for months or years before emerging as beetles, so by the time you see holes, the wood has been occupied for a long while. We treat affected timber with a product that soaks into the wood and kills larvae inside it. Read more about wood borer treatment and how to check whether holes are old or active.

Subterranean termites

Older homes with timber floors close to the ground are vulnerable, especially where garden beds have been built up against the walls. Look for mud tubes running up foundations or inside cupboards, and wood that sounds hollow. Termite treatments carry a 5-year guarantee with a certificate.

German cockroaches in flats

In blocks of flats, German cockroaches live in kitchens and move between units through pipe ducts, wall cavities and gaps around plumbing. A gel bait treatment in one flat helps that flat, but the best result comes when the whole block is treated together.

Bed bugs

Common in rentals with frequent tenant changes, and in homes where second-hand furniture or mattresses have come in. Bites in lines or clusters, blood spots on sheets and dark specks along mattress seams are the signs.

Fish moths and silverfish

Older homes with built-in cupboards, stored paper and damp corners are ideal for fish moths. They eat paper, book bindings, wallpaper paste and fabrics with starch in them. Our fish moth treatment page covers how to treat cupboards and roof spaces.

Rats

Rats get into older roof spaces through loose sheeting, gaps at the eaves and broken air vents, and they're most active in Gezina's ceilings through the cold months.

How we approach an older home

The inspection matters more in an old building than in a new one, because there are more places for pests to hide and more ways in. We check the roof space, the timber floors where there's access, cupboards and skirtings, the plumbing and drains, and the outside walls. Then we explain what we've found, what needs treating and what can be fixed with simple maintenance.

Treatments are odourless and won't mark floors or furniture. You won't need to leave home for normal treatments: keep children and pets off treated surfaces until they're dry. Fumigation, which is rarely needed, is the exception, and the sealed area has to be empty until it's cleared.

The mistake people make with old timber

Sanding and varnishing a floor with wood borer holes, assuming they're old damage. If the infestation is still active, the new finish goes on top of living larvae, and fresh holes appear through it within a year or two. Check first: fresh pale dust and crisp-edged holes mean active borer.

A Gezina tip

Pull garden beds and soil back from the outside walls so they sit below the air bricks and the damp-proof course. In many older homes, soil built up against the wall is what lets termites reach the timber floor unseen.

What it costs and why

A cockroach treatment in a flat is a small job. A whole block costs more but works out cheaper per unit. Wood borer and termite work depends on how much timber is affected and how easily we can reach it, so we quote after inspecting. Our price list shows the guide "from" prices. If you've seen a couple of fish moths in a bookshelf, good airflow and a clean-out may be enough.

Gezina sits between Capital Park and Villieria, both of which we also cover, and our Johannesburg service extends to the whole of Gauteng.

Combat Pest Control is owned and run by Jason van Heerden, with 25 years of pest control behind him. We're SAPCA registered, registered with the Department of Agriculture, offer service within 24 hours, and stand behind general treatments with a 3-month guarantee. Call 084 200 2700, or WhatsApp us a photo of the holes or droppings.