Dry Rot Edinburgh
Dry rot is a common wood destroying fungi that attacks and weakens unprotected timbers that have been affected by damp. Our experienced property surveyors are here to help you by accurately identifying the cause of the problem as well as specifying the most effective solution.
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What Is Dry Rot
Think you’ve spotted some signs of dry rot within your property? It’s always best to know for sure rather than ignoring the problem and letting things potentially get out of control.
Dry rot is a wood decaying fungus that can cause a lot of damage and spread quickly around homes and other structures. And once the outbreak has occurred, getting rid of it is very difficult. Many people who find themselves with a rot infestation in their home will more than likely think they’ll be ok because rot is covered by their building or homes insurance policy. However, in general rot is not covered by home insurance. Our knowledgeable property surveyors are here to help you by accurately identifying the cause of the problem as well as specifying the most effective solution. Get in touch with our Edinburgh branch to book a property survey.
How to Identify Dry Rot?
Dry Rot Is caused by a wood destroying fungus called Serpula Lacrymans and is the most serious type of fungal decay in a building. It can spread and affect adjacent timber and grow through masonry walls. Signs of dry rot:
- White coloured fungal growth which looks like cotton wool with yellow tinges when fresh
- The mycelium goes a grey colour when older
- Formidable mushroom smell
- Deeper cracks will appear within the wood causing loss of strength
- A fruiting body gives of red spore dust
It can be extremely tricky to identify dry rot. However, a member of our specialist team can identify the type of infestation and specify the solution to treat the affected area.
What Causes Dry Rot?
The cause of dry rot is excessive moisture affecting the timber:
- Property defects allowing damp to get to timber
- Moisture content in the timber above 20%
- Poor sub floor or roof ventilation
- Dry rot spores on surface of timber
- Timber not protected or treated with a fungicide
- Oxygen is required with excessive damp to germinate the spore on the timber
Where Does Dry Rot Grow?
From fixtures to structural timbers, the average home is made up of 70% timber. Once dry rot starts to spread, it can affect large areas of your property and cause major structural problems.Any unprotected timber in your property from your roof to the ground floor which becomes damp is at risk of a Dry Rot attack. If you believe there is a chance that you have seen the presence of dry rot in your property then you should get advice on the affected area. Before you start looking for dry rot, it is worth knowing that it can appear in an old building or a modern structure. Rot is caused by dampness that germinates the timber decaying fungus on the timber. This means that it can appear almost anywhere. This type of rot is often caused by leaking roofs, penetrating damp due to defective gutters and masonry and plumbing leaks inside your property.
It is common for dry rot to thrive in roofs, underfloor areas or behind wall fabrics that have poor ventilation.
Wet Rot & Dry Rot Difference
Dry Rot
Dry Rot is the most serious type of fungal decay in a building. It can spread onto adjacent timbers and grow through masonry. Signs of dry rot:
- Formidable mushroom smell
- White fungal growth with yellow tinges
- Deeper cracks will appear within the wood causing loss of strength
- A fruiting body gives of red spore dust
Wet Rot
Much more common than dry rot. This timber decay by wet rot tends to be based only in the area where timber has become wet. Signs of wet rot:
- A surface veneer may be intact to the wood with Blemishes, crookedness, softness apparent on the surface
- Rot stays close to the damp area with loss of strength to the timber
- Visible fungal growth – this may sometimes occur
- Smell – there may be a damp musty smell
Dry Rot Specialists in Edinburgh
Our qualified dry rot specialists will closely investigate the affected area and measure the scale of the problem. Richardson and Starling have over 85 years’ experience in dealing with dry rot problems and our experienced surveyors who are highly trained in all types of rot and damp problems will inspect and identify the type of wood destroying fungi that is affecting your property. This means that our surveyor will be able to complete the survey and give the appropriate remedial recommendations no matter what problem is identified.
Most structures throughout the United Kingdom have large sections of the building formed by timber. Whether it is supporting beams and posts, or simply the roof and floors, timber has been used for thousands of years and is still one of the most commonly used building materials used today.
As a result, decay by fungal growth and infestation by wood boring insects is extremely common.
30 Year Guarantee
Free automatic transfer to the new property owner if sold.
30 Year Guarantee for Dry Rot Repairs
After eight decades of successful property surveys and repairs, we’re confident to offer you a 30 Year Guarantee that transfers with the Property.
Richardson & Starling are long standing members of the Property Care Association (PCA) and the QANW. This demonstrates our ability to meet technical and financial requirements to offer an insurance back-up to our own long term guarantees if you would like this.