Client: Domestic
Intro
Our client, a homeowner in London, contracted Timberwise to conduct wet rot treatment in the floor of their property. This property was a ground floor flat of solid brick construction, and was both occupied and furnished at the time of our inspection. The weather conditions were overcast but dry.
Challenges
Our surveyor’s inspection was restricted inside the property due to fitted decorative flooring. This can cause concerns with accessing the necessary areas to diagnose a wet rot infestation within a property. This is a regular challenge in many properties for our surveyors, and their knowledge of how to navigate these concerns would be crucial to successfully treating the property.
Observations
Our surveyor began by conducting a brief external inspection from ground level. From this, they identified areas of inadequate sub-floor ventilation in each elevation. This lack of ventilation reduces air flow to the sub-floor timbers, preventing moisture from escaping and increasing the risk of fungal decay taking root in the floor void. A chemical Damp Proof Course was also present, and our surveyor identified no further external defects contributing to the internal condition of the property.
Moving internally, our surveyor attempted to inspect the sub-floor timbers. However, inspection was not possible due to the presence of fitted laminate flooring. Instead, our client provided our surveyor with imagery of the flooring prior to decoration. These images showed several areas of suspected wet rot fungal decay, both in the floor coverings beneath the laminate floor, and in the joist ends of the structural floor in both the living room and adjoining bedroom.
Solutions
Having been unable to inspect the property intimately, our surveyor explained that the only way to proceed was to gain access to the potentially affected areas. This would involve removing the existing decorative floor, as well as any areas found to be affected by fungal decay during the project. With the blessing of our client, our team of technicians began exploratory work to identify and remedy any discovered areas of fungal decay.
During inspections in the rear bedroom, an area of fungal decay was identified in the floor underneath the window. Our technicians removed a 2-metre section of floor joists and cleared the sub-floor void of debris.
Once cleared, our technicians installed new joists into the structural floor. These were crapped with a damp proof membrane to prevent future damp ingress from contact with the adjoining masonry. These joists were then treated with LignaTek fungicidal gel to prevent future fungal infestation.
Our technicians also removed a further 2-metre section of the adjoining wall plate, which had come under attack from the wet rot infestation. New timbers were installed into the wall plate where the previous rot-affected material had been removed, and then treated with fungicidal gel using the same method as the floor joists.
In the remaining living areas, a small inspection was conducted by lifting several of the laminate floor panels. After surveying several sites, no further wet rot fungal infestations were identified, and the flooring was subsequently reinstated without damage or concern.
Finally, in the exterior of the property, our technicians installed new air bricks into the three elevations. These were installed at regular intervals, and would provide the necessary ventilation in the sub-floor area to ensure fungal decay would not recur.
Results
Our client was satisfied with our team’s approach to remediating their wet rot concern. They believed that the surveyor and technicians implemented the correct solution for their needs and were happy that the work was completed with minimal disruption. They were also happy that the team not only treated the symptoms, but also provided a treatment plan that would reduce the likelihood of future fungal decay.
Do You Need Help with a Damp or Dry Rot Problem?
Our dedicated and experienced team in South London are ready to talk to you about your options for property preservation. Don’t hesitate to call us on 0208 226 4168, or you can request a survey online.
