Dry Rot Treatment

Dry rot treatment

Timberwise are specialists in the field of remedial property surveying of timber and damp related issues. We have been helping home owners and commercial property owners effectivley treat Dry rot problems for over 40 years. As our name suggests when it comes to timber we truly are the wise guys!

Identifying Dry rot

Dry rot comes with a pungent smell (similar to that of mushrooms).  The fruiting body (Sporophore) acts as the reproductive organ of Dry rot and sends off millions of red spores in to the atmosphere. Grey strands known as hyphae develop from the sporophore and form mycelium growth. More information on the life cycle of Dry rot can be found here.

What is Dry rot?

Dry rot is possibly the most common and most serious causes of damage to timbers within buildings. It is a fungus that eats away at the cellulose component within wood turning it brown and ultimately reducing the timber to a dry and crumbly state with noticeable cuboidal fractures. It is a malignant fungus and can spread even through thick walls in search of more timber to feed on. Dry rot can pose a substantial risk to property and it can spread rapidly throughout a building making it very difficult to control. It can effect neighbouring properties as it has the ability to spread behind plaster and through walls. If Dry rot is left untreated the damage to the structure of the property could be permanent and ultimately could lead to the collapse of the property through a lack of structural integrity.

Dry rot treatment from the specialists

Prior to Timberwise undertaking any Dry rot treatments a surveyor will perform a through survey of the property to identify the extent of the Dry rot outbreak and devise the most cost effective solution to the Dry rot problem. A Dry rot survey may require a degree of exposure work to determine accurately the extent of the Dry rot outbreak. It is also vital that the source of any water getting into the building is identified otherwise the Dry rot will return. Sources of moisture could include damaged rain water goods or failed areas of roofing.

At Timberwise our technicians have dealt with Dry rot removal for many years. Our skilled technicians will replace any defective timbers using a variety of timber engineering techniques. To prevent further Dry rot infection occurring existing timbers in the property are treated using modern, water based HSE approved fungicidal formulations. Fungicidal treatments would also be applied to any adjacent brick work. In a majority of instances treated rooms can be re-occupied after one hour.

Further information on Dry rot can be found in the Timber Treatments Learning Zone where our Dry rot downloads can be accessed.