How Repair Siding Of Dry Rot

Windowsill with dry rot Your home is by and large likely ane of your greatest investments. To protect your investment, it is of import to be able to spot pocket-sized problems earlier they become major expenses. Dry out rot is one of those issues.

Dry rot is caused by a mucus that feeds on forest and weakens it. Woods becomes cracked and brittle and eventually breaks downward. Dry rot is particularly a problem in older homes where wood may non have been treated to prevent rot damage.

Here are three things yous should know almost dry rot:

1) Where to await for dry rot.

Dry rot may audio as though information technology'due south misnamed considering mucus needs wet to grow. Look in areas of your home where there is a h2o source.

Exterior, you may notice rot where there are damaged gutters or downspouts. Areas to check for rot include:

Wooden window sills.
Where water runs off the roof forth a wall.
Where a deck attaches to the habitation.
Where a vertical surface meets a horizontal surface.

Wait for cracking, splits, and discoloration, which may point the presence of rot. Check the roof, particularly areas where your domicile may take had a leak. Dry rot can too occur at points of a construction where woods meets the footing.

Inside, await for dry rot in areas where there may exist a leaky pipe, unvented attic infinite, and clammy basements or crawlspaces. Look for areas where drywall is water stained. Other areas to check include:

Rim joists, especially on a porch, crawlspace or basement.
Where wood meets a masonry floor or wall.
The floor around a tub or toilet.

You lot can check for rot with a pick or screw driver. If it penetrates the wood or the forest flakes hands, there is rot. In that location may also be rot hidden behind floor, drywall or siding, which may only be credible by some discoloration or noticing the material does not experience structurally sound under weight or pressure.

2) What to practice if you detect dry rot.

Dry rot is progressive and then you will want to make repairs as soon as possible. Y'all will first need to finish the source of the moisture. Replace wood that has been structurally weakened, possibly with pressure treated forest. Be sure the problem is properly diagnosed and not mistaken for damage done by carpenter ants.

Once yous have found the source of wet, repair the trouble. If there is severe damage, pry off and replace the old wood. Be sure to temporarily support any structure before removing the old forest. Small areas of rot tin can be repaired with epoxy resin. If the wood is still structurally audio and the source of the moisture has been stopped, yous can care for the area with borate, a fungicide, to stop the growth of the fungus and protect the wood from further damage.

3) How to prevent dry rot.

Rot occurs when there is wood combined with high moisture. To prevent rot, there are several things you lot can do around your house:

Properly ventilate and insulate your attic.
Properly ventilate crawlspaces.
Seal basement and crawlspace floors to reduce footing moisture.
Check all wall and roof flashing to ensure h2o is existence directed properly.
Check deck and porch flashings.
Proceed wood siding and trims off the footing and away from the roof and masonry.
Brand sure all windows and doors are properly flashed.
Keep upwards on painting and caulking.
Keep drains and downsputs clear.

If there is considerable runoff almost the house, consider installing a rain barrel to collect water or connecting your downspout to a drain tile that can motility water a safety altitude from your home.

Most importantly, treat dry out rot as soon equally it is discovered! Untreated dry rot can crusade major impairment to your home.

Topics: How-To Tips, Repair and Maintenance, HomeRepair past McClurg