The Impacts of Dry Rot Damage
Dry rot is extremely damaging to wood and can impact the structural integrity of your home. It is a very common problem in many homes across the country and causes many homeowners to replace wood throughout their home. Dry rot is so damaging to wood that it requires more wood replacement than annual fires across the country.
At AquaGuard Foundation Solutions, we know what it takes to get rid of dry rot to protect your home’s structure. We’re happy to help our customers throughout Georgia, including Douglasville, Duluth, Lithonia, Acworth, Rome, Woodstock, Cumming, and areas nearby. Contact us today and ask about our free dry rot inspection services for your home near Atlanta!
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What is Dry Rot?
Dry rot, also known as brown rot, comes from the fungus known as serpula lacrymans. It’s often hard to identify since its appearance often looks like dry, cracking wood. Unlike most other types of fungi, dry rot does not need much moisture to survive, hence its name. It has been proven that it only needs about 28-30% of moisture to survive on wood surfaces, whereas other fungi need much more moisture.
Protect Your Home From Dry Rot!
The Bad News
Dry rot can be difficult to identify and can cause serious structural damage the longer it sits on wood surfaces. It also needs very little moisture to grow and survive, making it difficult to avoid unlike most other types of fungi. Dry rot can also absorb moisture from moist areas and grow through many different types of material like concrete, masonry, mortar, or plaster.
The Good News
Although dry rot doesn’t need much moisture to grow, only about 30%, most wood in dry homes only have a moisture content of 12-15%. Keeping your home’s moisture content under control will help you avoid all types of moisture damage, including dry rot. It can also be avoided by using boric acid on your wood surfaces to prevent it from growing.
Identifying & Treating Dry Rot
It’s important for all homeowners to be able to identify dry rot to prevent it from getting worse. The spores often appear as red brick dust before it starts to grow. Once it grows, it appears as very cracked, rectangular shapes on the wood surface.
It’s common for dry rot to start growing months after a flood. By this point, most of the water has dried and there is less moisture content, creating the perfect environment for dry rot to grow. Be sure to contact our office in Atlanta to schedule a free dry rot inspection service for your home.
Steps to Dry Rot Cleaning & Repair
Once dry rot is identified, we recommend following these steps:
Remove Damaged Wood:
Any wood that was damaged by dry rot and shows any signs of deterioration must be removed.
Remove Materials Near Damage:
Any wall panels, ceilings, wall lining, or plaster that were near the site of the dry rot damage must also be removed.
Wire Brush Affected Area:
Use a wire brush on all surfaces around the affected area to remove all debris, dust, and loose material.
Use a disinfectant on the entire affected area to help control the damage.
Use pressure-treated wood to replace the damaged structures that were removed from the damage.
Dry Rot Prevention Treatment in Atlanta
To prevent dry rot from growing in your basement, remove any standing water or any material that has been damaged by water. Installing a vapor barrier and a dehumidifier will help control moisture content and keep it dry and healthy.
Start by sealing any vents and door covers to prevent moisture from entering your crawl space. Installing a dehumidifier will keep the air dry, and encapsulating your crawl space with a durable liner will prevent water from entering.
To avoid all types of fungi, including dry rot, you must keep the space completely dry and free of moisture. This will create an inhospitable environment for any type of fungi to grow and will keep the space completely dry and healthy. Our waterproofing experts at AquaGuard are ready to help keep your space dry!
Avoid Dry Rot with AquaGuard
Protect your home from dry rot damage by calling our experts at AquaGuard. We offer free dry rot inspections to assess the area and provide recommendations on how to protect your home. We offer dry rot inspections and prevention treatments in We service Georgia, including Atlanta, Marietta, Decatur and nearby areas such as Lawrenceville, Alpharetta, Sandy Springs, Stone Mountain, Norcross, Athens, Gainesville, and Roswell.