Pest control in Kensington is mostly about old houses on a rocky ridge. Original timber floors and roof trusses attract termites and wood borer, roof rats move in along trees and creepers, scorpions and spiders live in the rockeries and retaining walls, and ants and fish moths are regular visitors. We inspect, identify the pest properly and treat the cause.
A ridge-top suburb of old houses
Kensington is one of the older suburbs on the eastern side of the city, built along a ridge with long views west towards the city centre. Many homes date from the early twentieth century: freestanding houses and semis with verandas, pressed steel ceilings, corrugated iron roofs, timber floors and sash windows. Stands slope steeply in places, with terraced gardens, stone retaining walls and natural rock. Rhodes Park, with its lake and trees, sits within the suburb, and Bezuidenhout Valley lies below.
That combination of old timber, rock and slope sets the pests. Termites find timber that has been in place for a century. Borer beetles have had decades to work through floors and furniture. Rock gardens and walls shelter scorpions. And the gaps where a veranda roof meets the main house are a favourite entry point for rats.
Old timber: termites or borer?
Kensington homeowners often call about holes or damage in floors and skirting boards without knowing which pest caused it. The difference matters, because the treatments have nothing in common.
- Wood borer leaves small, round exit holes and fine, flour-like dust under the floor, furniture or roof timber. Fresh pale dust means the beetles are still active. We treat the affected timber directly. See wood borer treatment in the Rosebank area.
- Subterranean termites leave mud tubes up walls and inside cupboards, and timber that sounds hollow or crumbles when pressed. They come from a colony in the soil, so we treat the soil around and under the building or use baiting. Termite treatments carry a 5-year guarantee and a certificate. Our page on termite control in this part of Johannesburg explains more.
Scorpions and spiders on the ridge
Stone walls, terraced beds, rockeries and stacked firewood on sloping stands are prime scorpion habitat. They come out on warm summer nights and sometimes find their way indoors under doors or into shoes left outside. We treat the walls, rockeries and outbuildings, and recommend clearing loose rock and wood from near the house. Spiders, including button spiders and sac spiders, favour the same sheltered spots and the dark corners of garages.
Roof rats, ants and fish moths
Roof rats climb the trees, creepers and veranda posts and enter where old roof sheeting has lifted. We bait outside in lockable stations, trap in the roof and show you where to seal. Ants march in before the storms; baits that go back to the nest work best. Fish moths settle in old built-in cupboards, bookshelves and boxes of papers, and respond well to a targeted treatment and drier storage.
Mosquitoes near Rhodes Park
Homes near the park and its lake see more mosquitoes in summer, but the ones biting you were probably bred in your own garden: in gutters, pot saucers, old tyres and water features. Emptying standing water weekly has the biggest effect.
How we work on older homes
We check the roof space, under-floor areas where there's access, cupboards and the garden. Treatments are odourless and won't stain old floors, and you can stay at home throughout a normal insect treatment. Where drilling is needed for termite treatment, we explain where and why first. On steep stands we pay particular attention to the uphill side of the house, where soil and rubble are often banked against the wall and give termites a hidden way in above the damp-proof course.
The most common mistake
Replacing a damaged floorboard or skirting without finding out what damaged it. If it was termites, the colony is still there and will move to the new timber. If it was borer, adjoining boards may be infested too. Find the cause first, then repair.
A Kensington tip
On terraced stands, keep the soil and mulch at least a brick or two below the damp-proof course along the uphill wall, and don't let creepers climb onto the veranda roof. The first denies termites a hidden bridge into the walls; the second takes away the rats' ladder.
What it costs and why
For general insects and rodents, the size of the house and the number of outbuildings decide the price. For termites, it's the length of the building's perimeter and the paving or concrete to be drilled. Borer is priced on the amount of affected timber. Scorpion treatment depends on the extent of rockeries and walls. A guide "from" price appears on this page, with a full list on our price list for Johannesburg. We quote after we've looked.
Kensington falls under our Rosebank area hub, and Bezuidenhout Valley, just below the ridge, has a page of its own.
Jason van Heerden owns Combat Pest Control and has 25 years of pest control behind him. We're SAPCA registered and registered with the Department of Agriculture, offer service within 24 hours and give a 3-month guarantee on general treatments. Call 084 200 2700, or WhatsApp us a photo of the damage or the pest.
Questions we get asked
How can I tell if the holes in my floor are active borer?
Look for fresh, pale dust below the holes. Dark, old holes with no new dust may be historic damage. If in doubt, we inspect.
Are scorpions common in Kensington gardens?
On rocky, terraced stands they're fairly common. Clearing loose rock and wood near the house and treating walls and rockeries reduces them.
How much does termite treatment cost for an older house?
It depends on the perimeter and how much paving or concrete needs drilling. We quote after inspecting; guide prices are on our prices page.
Will termite treatment damage my old floors?
No. Treatment goes into the soil around and under the building, and where we need to drill, we explain where first.
Should I repair the damaged skirting before you treat?
No. Treat first, so we can trace the activity and you're not feeding the colony new timber.
Can you treat fish moths in old built-in cupboards?
Yes. A targeted treatment of the cupboards, plus drier storage in sealed boxes, clears them.