| 1. What is wet rot?
Wet rot is a general term for a number of different species of fungi that attack timber and cause it to decay. Wet rot can attack wood only in damp conditions and if left untreated in a damp environment can spread widely, causing failure of structural timbers
2. What does wet rot look like?
Wet rot can take a number of different forms dependant upon the particular type of fungus concerned. Symptoms may range from staining and darkening of the timber to cuboidal cracking and catastrophic structural failure of timber members.
3. Hillcrest wet rot inspection
As with dry rot, the first and most important stage of the treatment of wet rot is to identify the source or sources of the moisture that has caused the wet rot to become established. A thorough and detailed inspection of the property is therefore required not only internally but also externally. Roofing, rainwater goods (gutters and down pipes) and surface drainage can all be sources of water if they are not maintained or become damaged and / or blocked. Sub floor ventilation if blocked either externally or internally by rubble can also cause sub floor condensation to occur with wet or dry rot as a result. The most common cause of wet rot is the escape of water from defective water supply systems or wastes
It is very common to see wet rot presenting itself in tandem with other timber defects such as wood boring beetle and dry rot. It is essential that these other defects are addressed at the same time as any proposed wet rot treatment, without this the treatment may be fatally prejudiced.
4. Treatment of wet rot
As previously discussed, the primary element of treatment is identifying the source of moisture and permanently removing it. Following this the entire effected area must be inspected and all timbers assessed for any weakening or failure. The repairs that are necessary should then be executed using pre treated timbers wrapped in fungicidal bandage followed by the treatment of other areas at risk using an appropriate fungicidal agent.
Hillcrest can then offer a THIRTY-YEAR GUARANTEE in the treated areas |
