The very words ‘dry rot’ or ‘wet rot’ can strike fear in the hearts of many property owners. Even worse, when you are going through the process of purchasing a property, if the surveyor’s inspection throws up the existence of wet or dry rot in the build’s timbers, it will affect your mortgage offer and could derail the entire purchase process.
Our advice to you – don’t panic. If you are trying to sell a property, we suggest you carry your own inspection and if needed call in the commercial experts to carry out timber treatment in advance so that you have the right certification paperwork in place. If you are the one looking to buy a property, then you will need to arrange treatment to satisfy the requirements of the mortgage company.
It is not always obvious what the signs are of dry and wet rot, so we have created an in depth checklist of the principal signs – forewarned is, after all, forearmed.
What is the difference between wet and dry rot
While rotting timber might be a problem whatever type it is, there are some differences between wet and dry rot which you will need to be ware of to ensure that you get the right treatment.
The characteristics of wet rot
Wet rot feels damp and spongy to the touch. Timber which has absorbed too much moisture – either because of a damp atmosphere or a persistent untreated leak – giving a water content of more than 50 per cent, experiences the growth of various different fungi. If left untreated the fungus will spread beyond the more localised damp timber.
The appearance of wet rot is white or brown. As it takes root, it strips out the cellulose in the wood, which is why the timber takes on a more spongy feel.
A specialist will be able to spot wet rot by:
- A musty, damp smell
- Timber that is soft and flaky, and easily scraped away with a knife or screwdriver
- A cracked surface of the timber which crumbles to the touch
- White localized fungal growth
The characteristics of dry rot
Dry rot is caused by the growth of one particular fungus – serpula lacrymans – and is much more serious than wet rot as this particular fungus is aggressive and fast growing.
Dry rot will form in a building which is poorly ventilated, suffers from rising or penetrating damp, and can gather pace in hidden corners, taking root and spreading before the property owner knows what is happening. Furthermore, while wet rot needs a 50 per cent moisture content rating to take effect, dry rot only needs 20 per cent.
Spotting and treating dry rot at the earliest possible occasion may save you from the worst damage, but chances are you will need to replace some timbers.
A specialist will be able to spot dry rot by:
- Noticing that the timber has shrunk in places.
- The timber looks darker in some places than others
- The timber looks dry and brittle, and crumbles to the touch
- A damp, mushroom smell
- Mushroom like growth with red dust caused by spreading spores
Get timber treated FAST
However far advanced the infestation, it is important to get professionals in to treat timber as a whole as quickly as possible. In some circumstances the timber may be too damaged and will need completely replacing, which will be an additional cost. However, protecting the infrastructure of the property as a whole is important when making a long term investment.
What will happen if they are left untreated?
If both wet and dry rot are left untreated they will cause serious damage to the supporting beams in your property, which in turn will weaken the entire infrastructure and risk the building as a whole to collapse.
While treatment is crucial, even more important is prevention. If you are fortunate enough to have escaped the worst ravages of wet and dry rot, then make sure you mitigate any further risk by protecting your property against further water ingress. Ensure the property is properly tanked and proofed against any water ingress, that there is adequate ventilation throughout, and a warm, constant temperature is maintained, particularly during colder, wetter winter months.