Timber is used throughout houses and buildings to help create the structure of the property, however, it is a vulnerable material that needs to be protected. One of the main threats you need to keep an eye out for is wet and dry rot. This guide will help you spot them and let you know a bit about treating them.
Both wet and dry rot are forms of fungal decay that can cause structural damage to buildings. Dry rot is the most serious and can cause the most damage, spreading across your property and destroying the timber. Wet rot is less serious but more common, this will be confined to the area where the wood is damp. If you suspect you have either, you should consult with a wet or dry rot control company.
Identifying wet rot
- Black fungus on timber
- Timber that feels wet and spongy and that looks discoloured
- The paint finish is damaged, although this is not the case in all instances
Identfying dry rot
- The fungus will create deep cracks that run across the grain
- You might see white sheets (also known as mycelium growth) across the wood
- When exposed to light the fungus will look lemon-yellow
- The timber will look brown in colour and it will crumble easily, as the dry rot is feeding on the timber
- Although the dry rot will usually be restricted to the timber, in some cases flat mushroom-like bodies can grow through finishes such as plaster/ paint
Getting rid of rot
Effective wet or dry rot control begins with removing the source of moisture that created the condition for rot and fungal growth in the first lace, this might involve mould control. The next step is removing plaster and timber that is infected with the rot and spores, following with fungicide treatment and fixing any structural integrity issues. This could involve timber replacement.
If you would like to speak to our dry rot control company get in touch for a consultation.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:
Yes, roofers increasingly use drones to complete roof inspections. Drone roof inspections save time because they don’t require scaffolding, ladders, or roofers to physically climb onto the top of the roof. This means the process is also safer. Moreover, high-tech drones can identify roofing problems even from a distance, making roof inspections faster and more accurate.
When carrying out drone roof surveys, roofers inspect your property’s roof covering to check its age and condition, and make recommendations on the need for repairs or replacement, either now or at some point in the future. They can also compare the condition to roofs of other similar properties.
Here are the broad-brush steps to using a drone for surveying:
- Select the right drone for the task.
- Purchase appropriate software.
- Plan the flight.
- Check the settings on the camera.
- Fly and review the area to be surveyed.
- Process the resulting images.
The more sophisticated the equipment, the more accurate the survey will be. The best equipment can produce sharp, crisp images that are accurate down to the very last millimetre. At Environ Property Services, we use state-of-the-art drones that can offer a high degree of accuracy, much more so than doing the job manually with ladders or scaffolding.
Drones are capable of getting a clear, aerial view of your rooftop and take detailed images of it. They are also designed to take precise measurements of your roof. Nowadays, many drones used in roof surveying are equipped with roof-measuring apps and programs that can provide highly accurate roof measurements.
