Timber Dry Rot Problem And Treatment

Problem:

Timber is used everywhere for constructing the house and later it is also used for decorative purposes. Timber can last for a long time if proper care is taken. Timber is readily decayed and destroyed which is distinguished as dry rot and wet rot. Dry rot creates a lot of problem in timber and is considered as a building cancer. Dry rot fungus thrives in moist unventilated conditions and rapidly destroys the timber. It can cause widespread destruction of structural timbers, skirting boards, door frames and wood flooring. Initially, the fungus appears as off-white cotton-wool like sheets and develops into fungal strands as thick as finger. Large flat mushrooms-like fruiting body can be developed in plaster and paint finishing. These fruiting bodies may be considered as the first visible sign of a problem. The fungus affected timber is found to have deep cracks running across the grain. The presence of off-white sheets of the fungus on the timber body is the evidence of the fungus affected area.

Precautions:

Dry rot is occurred due to the presence of moisture in the timber. Therefore, the foremost strategy to control the problem is to restore and maintain dry conditions. Attention should be paid to roofs and rainwater systems. Once a part of affected area is detected, it must be removed immediately to prevent the future consequences. Rapid drying should be encouraged through the provision of heating and ventilation.

Treatment:

Using extensive chemical fungicide or removing the whole affected timber can be one of the methods to destroy the dry rot. But the method is more expensive than the other modern approach. Modern approach runs on a simple theory of 'prevention'. As the problem is caused due to the moisture content, proper steps are taken to avoid the moisture. The modern approach is to use environmental controls like proper isolation and ventilation. This technique helps in avoiding the growth of dry rot. This is the simplest way to ensure that the timber does not become damp enough for dry rot to attack. Door frames should have a strip of damp-proof membrane around it. This will help in isolating the door frame from damp. A specialist firm can be contacted to have the best corrective actions for the dry rot problems.

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