Dry rot, or brown rot, is wood decay brought about by the presence of fungi, which can dilapidate anything made of wood. When it appears, the fungi break up cellulose and hemicellulose, the two polysaccharides that are responsible for wood’s natural strength and resilience. The result is weakened wood that usually has a blockish appearance. Dry rot will only ruin damp timber that has above 20% moisture. Thus, removing the source of moisture should be the foremost objective of dry rot repair.
How Dry Rot Spreads
The dry rot fungus makes spores that are easily distributed by the air. They reproduce as soon as they settle on moist wood, and unless this is stopped, the wood will weaken over time until such time that it actually disintegrates.
How to Detect Dry Rot
> Inspect the wood. The will first appear like cotton wool, if the environment is humid, there will likely be surface water droplets.
> Check if the wood has cracks; darkened, sunken or shrunken parts; or growths that look like the outer part of a mushroom.
Preventing Dry Rot
Dry rot prevention is a fairly easy task. Just keep wood away from moisture with the following steps:Make sure wood is out of moisture’s way by doing these steps:Don’t expose wood to moisture, and these steps will help you do that:
Siding - Hire a skilled siding installer to make sure wood siding is well sealed and installed.
Painting - All six sides of wood used outdoor should be primed before painting.
Roofing - Get your roof checked yearly to spot issues and keep away from potential water damage, mold, or dry rot. To protect your home’s foundation and walls, make sure you have gutters installed that will direct rainwater away.
Plumbing - In most cases, dry rot is a result of plumbing leaks. Check around toilets, vanities, etc., and if you actually find dry rot, address it immediately.
Ventilation - Your bathrooms, kitchen, attic and the like must have proper ventilation so as to eliminate extra moisture from the air.
Deck - Your deck should be well-sealed. If you work a carpenter to install a new deck, make sure it is built at a slight slope to allow water to shed easily.
Landscaping - Lawn sprinklers should be positioned such that they do not not spray onto the exterior trim of your home.
Dry Rot Treatment
There are a few ways to eliminate dry rot, like using copper compounds or epoxy. However, be aware that expert knowledge will be needed to make sure the job is done correctly. Doing the job wrong can be costly, which is why most people hire a dry rot repair contractor. Then again, not all of these professionals are the same, making it important to do some research before choosing which one to hire. Check out for Good Life Construction dry rot repair.
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