Cob: RE: Re: Insulation etc

[Michael Saunby]

On 20 July 1999 10:24, Mike Holland [SMTP:mholland at cyberservices.com] 
wrote:
> Would smoke deter woodworm?

Maybe, maybe not, I don't know, though there is/was certainly a belief 
among some people that it does.  It may just be that the free circulation 
of warm dry air seasoned the wood, making it harder and more resistant to 
attack.  I certainly don't share your experience of the embedded timbers 
having been attacked less, it could be my walls have (or had) a higher 
moisture content and/or lower lime content, or that the timbers were green 
when the building went up and yours were seasoned. Its also likely that 
where present limewashes and lime plasters were only applied to this 
property long after the damage was done.  The earth walls and earth 
plasters certainly haven't protected against wood worm.  That said the 
timbers are so substantial that there is no problem resulting from loss of 
strength except in a few floorboards.


Michael Saunby