Question 1

What Causes Dry Rot in Timber?

Accepted Answer

Timber rot is an issue that no homeowner will want to deal with, especially when it comes to dry rot. Dry rot is often the hardest issue to deal with when it comes to timber problems and decay since once a dry rot outbreak has begun eating away at the wood, it can be difficult to stop the spread. To make sure that the dry rot problem is completely removed from the home, it is often necessary to get expert knowledge and specialist treatment. In order to resolve a problem with dry rot, it is usually necessary to get a professional in to help you identify the causes of the dry rot and come up with the most appropriate treatments available and how to prevent future outbreaks of dry rot. Wood, which is the food source, along with moisture, both need to be present in a building in order for dry rot to occur.

Question 2

What is Wet Rot and Dry Rot in Timber?

Accepted Answer

Wet rot and dry rot are both types of timber decay that can occur in a property and will need to be treated quickly in order to ensure that no further damage occurs. Dry rot is often more problematic and harder to deal with compared to wet rot, since it is harder to get it under control and prevent the spread of the rot which is caused by fungus that attach themselves to and feed on the wood. On the other hand, wet rot is most commonly caused by moisture that has gotten to the timber and in many cases can be reversed with the appropriate steps.

Drying out the wood with appropriate ventilation and keeping the room warm can reverse the effects of wet rot, and the wood can be treated with a hardening product that can restore the wood. However, as wet rot might occur behind walls or beneath the flooring, it has the potential to cause significant damage to the structure of the home since it may not always be caught early enough to treat.

Question 3

What is Dry Rot in Timber?

Accepted Answer

Dry rot is caused by a fungus that can cause significant damage to the timber in your home once it enters the property. As with most issues that will affect the structural integrity of the property, early detection and prevention of dry rot is key to repairing the problem and reducing the risk of spreading.

Despite being named dry rot, this problem means that the affected area needs to first be moist in order for the fungus to become established. It was named dry rot in order to make it easier to differentiate between other types of rot that occur in wet wood such as timber that is newly felled. Fungal spores that usually appear as an orange dust will thrive in wood that has a moisture level of around 28-30%. In the right conditions, the fungus will germinate and produce hyphae, which are strands that eventually develop into a mycelium, or fungal body. Once the fungus has established itself in the wood, it only requires a moisture content of over 20% to survive and develop more hyphae that can travel over stone and brick to find more wood and spread throughout the home.