I taped over my airbricks just to keep the shield bugs out of the house: by the end of the first heating season, lifting one floorboard, I understood what had been growing under there
A homeowner’s simple attempt to keep shield bugs out by taping over airbricks during one heating season revealed a hidden nightmare: pale fungal growth, soft timber, and the unmistakable signs of dry rot spreading beneath the floorboards. This cautionary tale reveals why those small brick holes are essential to protecting your home’s structural integrity.