Dry rot is a serious problem and if it is found within your property, it is important to treat the dry rot problem as soon as possible. Without treating it, the dry rot will grow, feed off and destroy the timbers in your property and may lead to structural problems.
In short, the longer you leave a dry rot problem, the worse it becomes and the more costly it is to repair. If you suspect dry rot in your property, call Bell Preservation on 01592 323349 for help and advice or request a dry rot survey.
How to identify dry rot
The dry rot lifecycle typically has four main stages, each with different indications to identify the dry rot problem. However, typical indications to look out for include:
- Wood shrinking while darkening in colour and cracks appearing in a brittle cuboidal manner. Often the wood is easily broken or crumbles in your hand
- White sheets or cotton wool like cushions or skin often varying in colour from grey to pure white
- Strands which have developed in the dry rot mycelium. These dry rot stands will be brittle and crack if bent
- Soft, fleshy pancake or bracket fruiting bodies that are orange/red in colour. The surface will typically have pores.
- Rust red coloured spore dust. This is often seen around the fruiting bodies above
- Active dry rot decay will produce a musty, damp odour
If any of the dry rot indications above lead you to believe that you may have dry rot, the best advice is to get it checked out as soon as possible. Not only is dry rot unsightly and unhealthy but, it can also grow at an alarming rate in certain conditions.
Dry rot treatment
As dry rot has different lifecycle stages, the first initial step is to identify the dry rot stage to identify the level of dry rot treatment you need. Once the dry rot stage has been identified, a typical dry rot treatment will consist of a special low odour micro-emulsion preservative fluid being applied to the affected and surrounding areas and any defective timbers affected by the dry rot being replaced.
Speak to the Dry Rot experts
Speak to a Dry Rot expert before going ahead with any work.
If you are unsure or if you suspect your property may have a Dry Rot problem, call Bell Preservation today on 01592 323349 or click to request our survey and we will arrange for one of our Dry Rot experts to call or visit you at a time convenient for yourself.