Any form of damp problems in the home can be worrying, but to resolve damp issues, it is important to be able to identify what kind of damp is affecting your home and how this damp problem can be treated.
Two of the most common forms of damp are dry rot and wet rot and despite them being quite problematic to fix, these damp issues are relatively easy to identify. The main difference between dry rot and wet rot is that wet rot requires a significantly higher level of moisture content than dry content to grow.
What is the difference between dry rot and wet rot in terms of appearance?
When identifying dry rot, you will see that the timber will be damaged, so you may see some indentations and cracks in the wood. The damage will be of a brown colour typically, but you may notice some grey strands appearing on the timber too. The dry rot will feel brittle and dry to the touch and may well crumble in your hand when you touch it.
You can also expect to see orangey-brown patches of dust on the timber which is concentrated spore dust. Sometimes with dry rot you can also see silky cotton wool type patches in varying shades of grey and white.
With regards to wet rot, you will most likely spot elements of localised fungus occurring on the timber. However, you may also see that any areas of wet rot seem darker that the surrounding areas of timber and may also feel spongy to the touch. Your wet rot may have a musty smell to it and will feel damp too.
Where does dry rot and wet rot typically occur?
Typically, dry rot tends to occur in places that cannot be obviously seen in properties – such as underneath flooring, around window casings and in attics and lofts. Dry rot does require some moisture to grow (typically no more than 20%)
With wet rot, you can typically find this in areas where elevated levels of moisture are present and in affected areas, the wet rot is near the source of moisture. You may find that wet rot occurs in areas where there has been defective plumbing or guttering or if there has been a bad leak.
How do you fix dry rot and wet rot problems?
The best way to resolve a dry rot problem is to implement an efficient and robust replacement and repair solution to the affected areas. We would also look to apply the latest dry rot treatments to achieve maximum results.
For wet rot problems, we can provide you with professional and efficient solutions to eradicate your wet rot problems and we will remove and replace the affected timbers too.
If your property is suffering from either dry rot or wet rot, please contact a member of the Croft Preservation team today to discuss this further.
