What Is Dry Rot And How Can I Spot It?
By Greg Vanden Berge
When people think about dry rot they are usually talking
about a fungus that grows when the wet wood is exposed to excessive
moisture.
The wet wood will create a home for the fungus spores
and these fungus spores can multiply at an amazing speed, starting to
destroy your wood framed house, patios or other outdoor structures.
Here's something important that I would like you to remember about wood
rot. It's nature's process for cleaning up the environment and nothing
more. When a tree falls and lies on the ground, it will absorb moisture
and start to decay.
Now how can I spot wood rot? You're going to be looking for damaged wood
and this will usually be around a spot where moisture is either
accumulating constantly or draining off of something constantly.
A good place to look for wood rot would be at the bottom of a post where
it is in direct contact with cement
based products or concrete and look for areas where
water sits or pools up around these wood posts regularly.
Your roof fascia board is another good spot to look,
because water can be draining off of your roof daily, especially if you
live in a moist area. This is pretty common around the beach areas.
Dry rot can also be found on outdoor patios or any exposed wood siding
on the outside of your house. Keep one thing in mind when looking for
dry rot that's the direct result from water damage. You're going to need to stop the water from leaking
onto the wood or accumulating around these areas, if possible, before
you should do any home repairs.
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