Wet & Dry Rot.
WHAT IS WET ROT
Wet rot is a fungus that attacks timber in properties and can lead to severe cases of timber decay. In the right conditions, such as a lack of ventilation or a serious problem with water ingress, wet rot can germinate and attack timber to such a degree that it can affect the structural integrity of a property.
The most common species of wet rot is Cellar Fungus (Coniophora Puteana), but there are a variety of different species, and this can create difficulty when identifying a wet rot problem.
What is Dry Rot?
When it comes to wet rot treatment, it is also necessary to tell the difference between dry rot and wet rot, because despite the fact both are fungal conditions they are treated in very different ways.
Dry rot is a timber destroying the fungus that feeds on wood. This process leaves the timber in a dry and brittle state with conspicuous cuboidal cracking. This ultimately leads to the degradation of the timber’s structural integrity.
Dry rot is caused when excess moisture and poor ventilation combine to produce ideal conditions for fungus to grow. Dry rot is indiscriminate when it comes to the type of property it attacks with historic and modern architecture equally susceptible. Dry rot can often go unnoticed due to its propensity to grow in wall cavities and behind the plaster.
WET ROT TREATMENT PROCESS
1.Removing the source of moisture
The first step in the treatment is to eliminate the unwanted sources of moisture and make sure the timber is dried out. As wet rot cannot grow without a source of water, it is essential to remove this. Common sources of moisture that lead to wet rot include problems with roofing, gutters, pipes or leaking cellars or basements.
2. Wood repairs
The next step will be to identify the extent of any wet rot damage to the structural and decorative timber. Wood damaged by wet rot will need to be removed and replaced.
3. Fungicidal treatments to wood
Any wood that is deemed safe enough to be retained will be treated with a fungicidal treatment to ensure no further growth of wet rot fungus.
DRY ROT TREATMENT PROCESS
1. Remove the source of moisture
If dry rot is detected, the first step we take in the treatment is to eliminate the unwanted sources of moisture. Damp timber and a lack of ventilation provides the perfect conditions for dry rot growth and makes it essential to remove the source of moisture. If the dry rot has manifested underneath your property, as it often does, waterproofing services may be necessary.
2. Repairing damaged & defective wood
Wood infected with dry rot will need to be removed and replaced. Repairs will be made to structural and decorative timber where possible.
3. Fungicidal treatment to wood & masonry
Any retained wood will be treated using the latest fungicidal chemicals to prevent future growth.
Fungicidal treatment of masonry is also recommended, as dry rot growth tends to spread through masonry. If left untreated, the growth in the wall will continue to spread and will re-infect any new timbers in the vicinity that are replaced.
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