What Causes Dry Rot?
Dry rot can occur in a property when unprotected or untreated timber has become damp. Property problems such as plumbing leaks, leaking roofs, defective guttering and masonry are the most common reasons that allow damp to affect your property. As a result, all unprotected timber structures are at risk of a fungal attack when the moisture content of the timber is above 20%.
From fixtures to structural timbers, the average home is made up of 70% timber. Once rot starts to spread, it can affect large areas of your property and cause major structural problems.
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How to Identify Dry Rot?
If you are concerned about rot affecting your property, there are some signs that you might notice. Affected timber tends to crack into cubes, loose its strength and becomes brittle. Eventually, it can crush the wood into powder.
Rot appearance is constantly changing depending on the environment and its development stage. It can range from grey mushroom coloured skin to rusty red colour spores that can cover the affected area. In early stages you might notice a white, fluffy mycelium, giving off a damp mushroom odour.
It is important to identify the extent of timber decay caused by dry rot or other wood-destroying fungus. The reason for this is that this type of rot can travel along and through building materials and affect large areas of the property. Read more about the difference between dry rot and wet rot.
It can be extremely tricky to identify dry rot. However, a member of our specialist team can identify the type of infestation and specify the solution to treat the affected area.
Dry Rot Treatment & Repairs
Dry rot only affects unprotected timbers that have been affected by damp. Therefore, the first step of any effective treatment is removing the source of moisture.
All affected timbers should be removed and replaced with pre-treated timber, preventing contact with damp masonry. Any remaining adjacent timbers must be treated with an effective fungicide. There are products that enter the timber itself as well as ones designed to coat the timber surface. A fungicidal gel can be applied to the timber surface and comes in different concentrations to treat dry rot.
Rot eradication must be dealt with thoroughly and should be treated by specialists. Our team will help you to locate and eliminate the dry rot problem no matter how big or small. Continue reading about timber rot and property surveys.
How to prevent wood from rotting
Despite their names, both wet rot and dry rot require damp and moist conditions to begin germinating. The best way to prevent this fungal growth is by ensuring there is a suitable source of ventilation in the property.
Condensation is the most common cause of damp problems in the UK, if simple DIY solutions like keeping windows open doesn’t dispel this rot causing moisture, then you will likely need to install a ventilation unit that will either introduce a source of fresh dry air into the whole house or just in selected rooms.
It is also the case that there are pre-treatments you can apply to timbers to help increase their resistance to dampness and rot. You can read more about these on our timber treatments page.
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FAQ
Most frequent questions and answers
A thorough damp report by a certified professional will take around 2 to 3 hours. Every nook and cranny of your home will be inspected for moisture and assessed for damage. Get a damp proofing quote from a certified company to make sure you get the best service.
If you’re wondering if damp testing is something you pay for out of pocket, the answer is yes. After all, it’s not something that’s covered by home insurance. Fortunately, you can find qualified experts who can give you the services you need without breaking the bank. Contact our team for a certified surveyor to learn more.
You need an expert surveyor to check your home to ascertain no stone is left unturned. Missing out on a damp spot will render any job useless because things can escalate rapidly once again. If you want things done right and avoid back jobs that cost money and impinge on your time, get professional help.
A damp report cost in the UK is between £150 and £400. Fortunately, you can get really good service with competitive pricing based on the size of the property for £150 – £300. Don’t delay getting a damp survey if you see signs of dampness in your home to avoid exacerbating the problem.
