Every year, homeowners across the UK spend large amounts of money on
extensive renovations to repair damage caused by dry rot. Dry rot is caused by
the presence of damp, moisture and condensation in the home, and can cause
serious damage to your property affecting walls, floors, and structural timber.
Unlike wet rot, dry rot can spread far beyond the point where moisture and damp
have entered the home, meaning a dry rot infection must be detected and
eliminated as quickly as possible, lest further damage to the home occur.
In order to prevent dry rot, one must ensure their home is protected
against the entry of damp, condensation and moisture. For a long-term solution,
seek assistance from an experienced dry rot treatment company such as Peter Cox. A reputable contractor with over five decades of
experience in providing a range of property services such as wet rot and dry rot treatment, damp
proofing, basement waterproofing and woodworm treatment, their dry rot
treatments can repair damage to structural timber caused by dry rot and,
through the use of such products as their DryWall + damp proof course, can prevent the dry rot
from ever returning.
Dry rot occurs when timber is exposed to moisture or comes into contact
with damp masonry. The growth and spread of the dry rot fungus depends on
certain environmental conditions - damp, stagnant conditions combined with lack
of proper ventilation provide the ideal environment for the development of dry
rot. Such damp conditions may occur for a number of reasons, such as internal
plumbing leaks, condensation or rain
water penetration from outside the house.
Usually, the first signs of an outbreak may be the sudden appearance of
a mushroom-like fruiting body or fine grey-white hyphae strands. The affected
timber will become dry and brittle, and will crumble to the touch.
What are the Dangers of Dry Rot?
Dry rot can grow through damp masonry, brickwork and behind plaster, causing
widespread structural damage. Dry rot’s ability to spread so rapidly can make treatment
more complicated than with other types of rot - but if left untreated, the
fungus can spread through an entire property, causing severe damage to
structural timber and masonry which could lead to collapse.
The presence of dry rot itself doesn’t affect human health. However, its
presence in a home may indicate high levels of dampness and condensation, which
can cause respiratory problems and lead to other problems which can affect the
health of you and your property, such as woodworm, wet rot, and mould growth. If
you suspect a dry rot outbreak in the home, it is important to arrange a dry
rot survey from an experienced property maintenance company such as Peter Cox.
Prevention and Treatment
Detect the Source of Damp: As dry rot is caused by damp and moisture entering
the home, it is important to thoroughly inspect the interior and exterior of
your home to find any source of damp. With professional assistance from Peter
Cox’s dry rot specialists, you will be easily able to identify such sources
like leaking gutters, rising damp, water leaks and poor ventilation that can
also contribute to the problem.
Damp Proofing Treatment: You can also make your home more resistant to damp penetration with
the help of Peter Cox’s damp proofing specialists. Peter Cox’s DryWall Thermotek masonry
protection cream is applied to walls affected by damp as part of the damp
proofing process and will help to prevent damp entering the home, thus not only
helping prevent dry rot problems, but also helping to retain heat and thus
conserving energy levels. Because of its eco-friendly, energy-saving properties
(a single-coat application can yield an energy saving of 29%), the
DryWallThermotek solution qualifies for a 5% VAT rate.
Dry Rot Elimination: Remove all infected timber and replace with pre-treated timber. Any
remaining timbers at risk of being affected by the dry rot should be treated
with an effective fungicide. Where the dry rot has passed through the masonry,
it should be treated with a water-based biocide.
Dry rot is one of the most damaging conditions a property can suffer. If
not controlled immediately, the condition can cause enormous damage in a short
period of time. It is absolutely essential to take proper preventive and
remedial steps with the help of dry rot experts such as Peter Cox in time to control
the growth of the fungal decay.
For more information about dry rot please see: http://www.petercox.com/dryrotcontrol.php
