Wood rot is caused by fungal spores eating their way through wooden timbers, be it wooden furniture, door frames, or even the structural supports holding a building together.
As timbers decay they become increasingly unstable and dangerous, leaving a major health and safety hazard inside your home or commercial property.
So how do you treat wood rot and prevent it from returning? In this article, we explore the best ways to treat wood rot.
What are the different types of wood rot?
There are two distinct types of wood rot that need to be considered before any treatments can be recommended and applied. These are wet rot and dry rot.
Both types of wood rot are caused by fungal spores eating through cellulose found in timbers. Both only occur in wet and damp conditions, as the fungal spores are activated by moisture.
Wet rot requires extremely high levels of moisture to survive, so it’s only found in incredibly damp conditions. Wet rot mostly remains static, but causes large amounts of damage when left untreated.
Dry rot requires much lower moisture levels to thrive, so it can easily spread through a home from one timber to the next. Dry rot can quickly cause damage as it spreads, and needs to be treated rapidly.
What are the signs of Wood Rot?
While wood rot might not be visible on the surface, it could be causing massive amounts of structural decay beneath the timbers.
For this reason, it’s important to be given a proper diagnosis by a professional who can locate and identify different types of wood rot that could be afflicting your home, before recommending the best course of treatment.
If you notice any of the following signs of wood rot, it’s time to call in a specialist.
● Musty or mushroom-like smells
● Growth of mould
● Soft timbers
● Discolouration of timbers
● Visible decay of timbers
● Areas of damp
How to identify and treat wood rot?
The exact treatment depends on the extent of the wood rot, how long it has been spreading for, and the damage that’s already been caused.
The first step is to identify where the rot has taken hold and the type of rot that’s present in the property. While dry rot can be very visible, wet rot is often hidden out of sight.
The most effective method of wood rot treatment is to apply a fungicide or chemical spray. This kills any existing spores and creates a protective anti-fungal layer that stops future fungal spores from establishing themselves on timbers. This only works however if the rot is on the surface.
If the wood rot is below the surface or has already caused extensive damage to important, structural timbers, then the only treatment is to remove the timbers and replace them. This is much costlier and more disruptive, which is why it’s so important to act fast when you suspect the presence of wood rot in your property.
Get in touch with Wood Rot Treatment Specialists
For more information and advice on how to treat wood rot – both wet and dry rot – then please contact our friendly team on 01765 804050 or fill in our online contact form. Our experienced professionals will be ready to offer expert advice tailored to resolve your problem.