TimberGuard Timber Preservation
Timber Treatment | Woodworm | Dry Rot | Hastings
Ashford | Tunbridge Wells | Canterbury | Rye | Maidstone
DRY ROT
TimberGuard Timber Preservation
specialist treatment for dry rot in
Hastings, Tunbridge Wells, Canterbury,
Rye and Maidstone.
What is Dry Rot?
Dry Rot (Serpula Lacrymans) is a fungal decay of
timber that can cause major damage to the
structure of buildings.
It most commonly occurs in areas where there is
dampness combined with a lack of ventilation,
creating an ideal environment for the fungus to
grow.
Damp wooden floors or roof spaces where there
is dampness due to damaged or blocked gutters
or broken tiles are ideal environments for dry rot
to develop and once it has appeared it will
continue to grow within the timbers and weaken
the structure of that part of the property.
Dry Rot develops from a microscopic spore
which, in the presence of moisture, sends out
fine white strands of fungal mycelium which
looks rather like fine cotton wool, These strands,
known as hyphae, spread across the surface of
the wood, often over great distances, in a search
for more damp wood to colonise. The strands
also carry moisture to the distant, drier, timbers
which in turn become susceptible to rot.
This spread can even cross brickwork which,
combined with its rapid rate of growth (up to
30m to 40 mm per week) means that a property
can experience extensive damage in a very short
timescale.
As the fungus grows, it draws moisture from the
timber which loses weight and shrinks into the
characteristic dry rot cuboidal pieces.
The final stage in its growth is a fleshy white or
pale grey fruiting body covered in rusty red
spores which are discharged in their millions,
producing the red dust which is another
characteristic of the condition.
If left untreated this is possibly the worst kind
of timber decay because the structure of a
building can be rapidly compromised creating
an often dangerous situation. Instances of dry
rot should be inspected by an expert timber
infestation surveyor.
TimberGuard Timber Preservation specialists
provide you with a full survey and report and
a quotation for any necessary repair and
treatment work at a cost competitive price
plus the assurance of a 30 year guarantee
after the work has been completed.