Don’t Fear Wood Rot, Seek Specialist Help

Dry and wet rot can affect timbers in a property that finds itself prey to increased levels of moisture. If you have a suspicion that your timber is under attack then please contact reputable wood rot specialists like Thames Valley Timber Treatment.

Wet rot is also known as cellar fungus. There are several species included within this term. The Latin name is Coniophora puteana.

Dry rot is Serpula lacrymans. Both rots can cause serious, sometimes critical, issues with structural integrity. The more rot that the timber is exposed to, the weaker the wood becomes so prompt action, rather than panicking or trying to ignore a problem, is imperative.

Dry and wet rot:

• Dry rot is fungal.
• It requires around 20% moisture, perhaps from condensation.
• It is creamy-white with cobwebby threads and veins.
• Rot pushes through paintwork in mushroom forms and creates cracks in the wood.
• Dry rot has a mushroom scent.
• Wet rot requires 50% moisture; a plumbing incident or bad weather can trigger it.
• It is a black-brown veined fern shaped fungi.
• Wet rot can be bordered in a creamy-white edge.
• The affected timber darkens and feels spongy.
• Wet rot afflicted timber is easy to damage or crumble.
• It features a damp, musty smell.

Spores bore in to the timber and fruit, they repeat the cycle and the wood rot spreads.

The spores feed on the cellulose in the timber to survive so for as long as there is timber, it will be under attack unless wood rot treatment is sought.

Fear is an expensive commodity, don’t allow it to dominate.

Dry and wet rot can look similar to the untrained eye so wood rot specialists must be consulted to achieve effective and lasting resolutions. Speculating and procrastinating lead to a more expansive and generally more expensive wood rot treatment.

Wood rot specialists would be surplus to requirements if over the counter methods and novice activities worked. However, there are a plethora of national and local firms who specialise in dry and wet rot because they are always in demand.

Don’t waste time on less effective solutions. Trust the qualified professionals, their licenced measures and the experience that specialists can draw on.

Wood rot treatment specialists

Friendly, qualified and experienced wood rot specialists visit the site and carry out a thorough survey to evaluate the severity of the issue. This visit may last a little longer than you’d like because it explores affected and potentially susceptible areas, this is for safety and service level maximisation. It is not designed to scare clients or to increase the bill tenfold.

Wood rot specialists stipulate that prior to wood rot treatment the cause of the elevated moisture levels must be treated. e.g. Better ventilation, roof repairs, new installation or repair of plumbing.

When the area has dried out, either the damaged timber is removed to a sound level and replaced or the whole area of timber is replaced with treated timber.

Dry and wet rot look intimidating. Act swiftly and you’ll have nothing to fear.