Dry Rot Control Specialists 

Dry Rot Control Specialists Dealing With Wood Rot & Decay 

Dry rot control specialists & specialist timber decay surveyors are proud to provide dry rot surveys with cost-effective wood rot repairs for residents across the UK, with the most reliable independent wood decay, wet rot & dry rot services.

Need a Specialist Dry Rot Survey – Report or a Timber Inspection? Call: 0800 246 5668 or Contact Us Here 

If you are worried about a potential dry rot outbreak in your property then arranging a dry rot survey on your property with our dry rot surveyors will allow our approved timber decay specialists to get to the root cause of any wood rot & timber decay issues.

Dry rot control specialists will provide you with cost-effective solutions & other timber decay services that you may need to get rid of your timber decay problem.

Dry rot surveyors will undertake a complete dry rot survey before advising on any dry rot repairs & control treatments. This is a process our company and specialist surveyors have been following for over 40 years.

Adept UK Damp & Decay – Our approved damp specialists & timber surveyors are accredited damp-proof specialists & Certificated Surveyors in Remedial Treatments (C.S.R.T ) (C,T.I.S.) qualifications recognized by the Property Care Association (P.C.A) Formally known as the (BWPDA) (British Wood Preserving & Damp Proofing Association)   

How does dry rot occur?

Dry rot spores are fairly common and exist in most properties; in the majority cases they are entirely harmless. It is only when provided with adequate moisture that dry rot spores will germinate and grow. It is when the dry rot fungus begins to grow in-masse that it becomes dangerous to a property’s structural integrity.

Dry rot control specialists will do the following:

• Dry rot surveyors will Investigate for any sources of moisture and other building defects that may have caused the dry rot/ wet rot outbreak problem in your property and provide you with a specialist wet rot / dry rot report & costs for dry rot repairs.
• Dry rot control specialists will check your home for any other timber decay affected areas so no dry rot is missed during a dry & wet rot survey.
• A Dry rot survey undertaken with report will also involve checking for any other related damp & woodworm conditions (such as wet rot & timber decay) to the sub-floor concealed joists below floorboards & loft roofing timbers.
• An independent dry rot survey undertaken will also provide a treatment and timber repairs solution with your needs and cost in mind Our dry rot surveyor can also produce a written dry rot report that will explain any dry rot control treatment & recommendations in detail. After our initial inspection our dry rot report will make everything clear by including, explanations of observations and a breakdown of any cost for wet rot, wood rot, rising damp & woodworm infestation treatment.
• Timber survey, damp surveyors can also carry out an intrusive sub-floor timber inspection to inspect and report upon concealed joists underneath floorboards, and to determine the condition of any other wooden flooring for suspected wood rot, timber decay & any signs of active wood boring insects (woodworm) at an additional cost.

Dry rot what is it? timber decay of wood caused by wood rotting fungus Serpula lacrymans, which if left, can have devastating effects within a house.  Diagnosis of dry rot / timber decay in homes can strike terror into the heart of the recipient of this dismal news. However, to the untrained eye dry rot and wet rot can easily be confused by other dry rot companies.

It is therefore essential that a correct diagnosis of a timber decay / fungal decay problem is formed by approved timber decay & wood rot experts. By using Adept UK independent dry rot specialist treatment surveyors to carry out your damp & dry rot survey, a correct diagnosis is guaranteed, and our timber decay survey report will satisfy the mortgage lenders if required as part of the mortgage process. We also provide environmentally friendly solutions for controlling dry rot in buildings.

Dry rot has the potential to cause serious damaging decay in timber found in homes throughout the UK, but dry rot does not have to be outrageously costly to treat & repair if caught in time by dry rot treatment companies.

What does dry rot look like?

Identifying dry rot in the early stages is vital to minimising the damage it can cause to your home, and reducing the eventual dry rot repair costs.

While our advice on dry rot control below will help you to recognise what dry rot looks like, you should be mindful that it is likely to be found in areas of a house where occupants do not often look such as under floorboards, behind plasterboard or up in roof attics.

One of the early signs of dry rot is a decaying musty, unpleasant smell. If this sounds familiar, it might be worthwhile having a look around your home for any signs of timber decay, see below:

Damaged Timber in Properties- Wood affected by dry rot timber decay will often darken in in colour  and  will become so dry and brittle it will break or crumble easily. Timber affected by dry rot will also have distinct “cuboidal cracking.”

Spore Dust from Fruiting Body– Dry rot spores are very common and usually harmless. However, if dry rot spores start to appear in concentrated patches of rust coloured dust, this is a sure sign of an active dry rot problem.

Hyphae Microscopic Roots – Dry rot spores begin to produce hyphae when they come into contact with timber in damp and humid conditions. Hyphae are white/grey strands that look similar to spider silk.

Mycelium–  is a grey/white cotton-wool-like mass that dry rot produces when it spreads from timber it can no longer feed from. If you identify dry rot mycelium it is vital that your treat the problem there and then as it is likely to get a lot worse. Mushroom Style Fruiting Bodies- The last stage in the dry rot lifecycle is the most visually striking – the fruiting body. These fleshy masses look like large rust-coloured mushrooms and they grow when dry rot needs to pump fresh spores into the air in an effort to find more timber.

Dry Rot Control Specialists Survey

A careful dry rot survey carried out by Adept UK  independent dry rot treatment specialists is required to first of all correctly identify if the timber decay affecting the wood is dry rot and not wet rot, which is often misdiagnosed by other dry rot control companies. The source of dampness will need to be located by dry rot surveyors, and repaired before dry rot treatment can take place.

A dry rot outbreak is then controlled, & treated, in a very selective and targeted way. Timbers affected by decay are reinstated with industrial  pre-treated  timbers and isolated from damp masonry.

With over 40 years treating dry rot we are one of the most experienced and trusted dry rot control companies in the UK.

Need a Dry Rot Survey Carried Out on a Property? Then Simply Contact Us Here and Our Dry Rot Control Specialists Will Be in Touch to Arrange an Inspection.

By using an independent specialist damp and dry rot company like Adept UK to control & repair dry rot, you will have the added assurance that any specialist dry rot repairs to timber flooring such as floorboards, timber joists, sub-floor structural timbers, skirting boards & roof timbers  will not only be carried out correctly but will benefit from  long term eradication for wood rotting timber decay.

Enquire about  the cost of a dry rot survey here contact form

Differences Between Dry and Wet Rot Fungal Decay, in a nutshell……..COST!!!

The vital difference between dry rot and wet rot is the amount of moisture needed within the timber to allow fungal growth to occur. The term dry rot would suggest no moisture, but in fact a minimum moisture content of about 20% is needed for dry rot to flourish and establish itself.

It’s often found in hidden voids such as under floor boards of wooden floors and , beneath stairs & roof trusses – as it likes warm, damp areas. Wet rot is limited to very damp wood or plaster with a moisture content of at least 50% and will remain confined to a damp area.

The high moisture content required for wet rot is often a result of defective plumbing, gutters or downpipes. We offer correct diagnosis of any type of wood rot affecting a property, and will tailor a control solution to protect it from further wood rot damage.

All wood-rotting fungi require both food (wood or other cellulosic material) and water, and the dry rot fungus is no exception; deprived of either, it cannot survive.  Much of the mythology surrounding dry rot is founded on the ability of its strands to penetrate through non-wood building materials, to transport water to otherwise dry areas and for the fungus to ‘manufacture’ its own water.

In reality, the delicate hyphae are the primary colonisers and the ability to conduct water is limited and can be counteracted by good ventilation.

The process of timber decay itself produces water but in this respect dry rot is no different from any other wood-rotting fungus and, likewise, its ability to produce moisture in this manner can be counteracted by ventilation.

Wood rot decay will cease if the moisture content of the wood is reduced to below about 20 per cent, and many extinct outbreaks of dry rot are discovered in old buildings where the fungus has died out as a result of this happening, probably following building maintenance which has eliminated a source of moisture.

DRY ROT CONTROL SPECIALISTS & SPECIALIST DRY ROT SURVEYORS 

Because of the total dependency of moisture, the primary control strategy by dry rot companies must be based on environmental considerations aiming to restore and maintain dry conditions.

A detailed dry rot survey should be carried out by qualified specialist dry rot surveyors to identify and locate sources of moisture ingress. Particular attention will be paid  during a dry rot survey to roof, sub floor timbers, and rainwater systems with emphasis on gutters and down pipes, parapet roofs and roof coverings.

Rain penetration can also be through renderings and flashing’s or around windows and doors. Rising dampness through missing, bridged or otherwise defective damp-proof courses must be rectified. Any plumbing should also be inspected by dry rot experts for leaks.

Rapid drying should be promoted through the provision of sub-floor ventilation and heating which may also require specific building work to prevent moisture ingress and transfer, and to encourage aeration.

Dehumidifiers can remove moisture from the air but their effectiveness in aiding drying of walls depends on the rate of evaporation from the wall surfaces.

In many cases drying will take a long time, often taking years, especially where some types of older buildings are affected. Therefore, secondary measures will often be required to prevent further damage by timber decay fungus before it is effectively arrested by the drying process.

Once a suspected dry rot outbreak has been correctly diagnosed in a property, it is necessary for dry rot experts to determine how far the dry rot has spread, dry rot treatment companies can then provide accurate costs for any timber decay works.

All woodwork and sub floor timber / under floor voids in the vicinity of any dry rot outbreaks should be inspected by dry rot companies for signs of timber decay defects by qualified damp-proofing and timber decay surveyors (C.T.I.S. or C.S.R.T.) to assess the extent of timber decay and the current moisture content of the timber. Extensive removal of plaster is necessary only if it is suspected that timber is embedded in the walls and is at risk to timber decay.

Perfectly sound floor joists, wood beams / skirting boards, and floorboards can become nothing but a crumbling rotting mess once they’re infected by dry rot, and, as the spores spread quickly, it won’t take long before all the structural timber in your home comes under attack by fungal decay.

A single outbreak of dry rot in a home can cost anywhere between £500 and £10,000 to remove, and thousands of pounds more in home dry rot repairs.

Spotting dry rot before it takes hold is half the battle – if caught early enough, you can save a fortune in dry rot timber decay repairs and take action to prevent it coming back for good. Wood rotting fungus that causes dry rot in wood prefers warm, damp, dark and Unventilated  places to grow such as poor ventilated sub-floor voids & roofing timbers in lofts.

While it’s usually associated with old properties that are being renovated, it can also appear in modern homes too. Don’t rule dry rot out just because your property is newly built; if you notice any symptoms of wood rot in your home, it’s important to identify it and embark on a course of dry rot treatment to eliminate it without delay.  Find out what causes dry rot, how to identify it and get it treated quickly, and, most importantly, how to deal with dry rot in the long-term.

DRY ROT CONTROL SPECIALISTS REMOVING DECAYED TIMBER 

Removal of all timber affected by dry rot is destructive but necessary in principle. Retaining affected timber presents problems for the structural integrity of the building and falling debris can be a hazard to occupants and others if decay continues. Timber already below 20 per cent moisture content presents little risk of further decay.   Special building measures are necessary if timber is to be retained, including isolation from damp masonry by way of incorporating a damp proof membrane or using metal joist hangers etc.

 DRY ROT CONTROL SPECIALISTS MASONRY TREATMENT FOR DRY ROT 

Although the dry rot strands can travel across masonry, the dry rot fungus derives no nourishment from it. The concept of killing the fungus within masonry by wide-spread irrigation with a fungicide traditionally has provided a ‘comfort factor’, but it has to be questioned in each case whether this procedure can be justified.

First, it is usually difficult to achieve a thorough treatment and, secondly, the treatments introduce large quantities of water which then needs to be removed, increasing the risk of damage to the masonry, as well as prolonging the time it takes to dry the structure.

The most important role of chemical dry rot treatments of the masonry is to prevent the fungus from obtaining access to a fresh food supply in the form of timber in adjacent areas, or replacement timbers being introduced into the area. For this purpose, localised chemical treatments of the masonry (cordon sanitaire) can create a useful barrier between the dry rot fungus on the wall and the wood.

ALTERNATIVE DRY ROT & TIMBER DECAY TREATMENTS

Environmental  Control 
S. lacrymans, like any other biological entity, needs a specific environment in which to live. Indeed the environmental requirements of S. lacrymans are rather specific. It needs wood with a moisture content around the fibre saturation point (i.e. when there is free moisture in the timber), it cannot survive mildly elevated temperatures (temperatures as low as 30oC have been reported as being lethal), it is sensitive to air movements and requires a relatively high humidity environment and seems to have an absolute requirement for certain metallic elements, the lack of which can effectively prevent it from decaying wood.

If any of these requirements are not met the organism will not decay timber and therefore eradication of the organism should be a relatively easy task. Indeed specialist companies in the UK and abroad are now offering services to correct dry rot infestations which rely solely on environmental dry rot control; keeping moisture levels in wood low and increasing ventilation to both favour low moisture levels and prevent the build up of high humidity.

By inserting remote sensing moisture meters into at-risk timbers, e.g. beneath valley gutters or at the beam ends or in wall plates, it is possible to keep a check on a building without the need for complex and expensive inspection procedures.

This type of strategy is relevant in many situations and could theoretically be used in every situation. However it requires perfect building maintenance, co-operative users and a check on any structural modifications.

As such it would appear likely that there are situations where the efficacy of environmental dry rot control could not be guaranteed despite the obvious appropriateness of the strategy. On account of this additional controls are necessary and these may well include the use of chemicals.

Heat Treatment
It has been known for many years that the dry rot fungus is peculiarly sensitive to relatively small increases in temperature. This lack of thermo-tolerance, which is reported as a range of different lethal temperature/ period combinations (e.g. any time period between 1 and 6 hours at 40oC), has resulted in the use of whole building heat treatments to eradicate dry rot.

Total killing of organisms has been shown in this system though it is only the mycelial form of the fungus which is inactivated, active spores still persist. However given an appropriate drying regime for a building these spores are unlikely to germinate and produce destructive mycelia and indeed there are no reported recurrences of dry rot in buildings which have been heat treated. This dry rot control system has so far only been used in Denmark though its applicability in buildings in other countries seems likely and should be tested.

It could be argued that environmental control alone is sufficient to kill the dry rot organism and that heat treatment is therefore unnecessary. Heat treatment ensures the organism is rapidly killed at the start of the control procedure and also that any further degradation which might occur during drying is prevented. Of course, as in the case of environmental control more effective building management practices will have to be installed in order to prevent recurrences of dry rot infestations.

The failure to maintain rigorous building management practices as a follow-up to heat treatment remains a major concern in the long-term protection of buildings. Currently there is no effective alternative to the use of chemical preservatives in poorly managed buildings or in buildings where constructional properties render it difficult to ensure that wetting of timbers does not occur.

COST OF TREATING TIMBER DECAY
We are often asked – How much does dry rot specialist surveys & treatment cost / How much does it cost to treat dry rot & timber decay in my house?

Cost of dry rot repairs & treating dry rot will vary with each individual outbreak of the dry rot fungus. Firstly, a specialist dry rot survey has to be carried out by a fully qualified C.S.R.T. specialist damp and timber surveyor to correctly identify the fungal decay and determine if it really is dry rot and not wet rot as it is so commonly misdiagnosed during dry rot investigations by other dry rot companies who are inexperienced.

The extent and causes of the dry rot infection in a house has to be determined, as this timber decaying fungus can spread behind wall plaster and under floors without being noticed until it attacks another piece of timber, such as a skirting board in a house or door/window frame, elsewhere in the property.  

The source of the dry rot outbreak also has to be determined by the specialist dry rot surveyor. during his inspection including lifting of floorboards to inspect under floor void areas  for dampness to the sub-site walls. It is therefore not possible to provide an average cost of treating & repairing dry rot without carrying out a detailed specialist dry rot survey.

Dry Rot Control Specialists Wood Rot & Dry rot Surveys.

• Dry rot control specialists will inspect the causes of the wood rot & dry rot problem, causes of the dry rot outbreak has to be identified to resolve the situation.
• Dry rot  experts diagnose the extent of the dry rot issue affecting the roof &  sub floor timbers in the property.
• Dry rot treatment specialists will inspect the property to see if there are any further timber decay issues such as wet rot.
• Dry rot treatment specialists will provide after the dry rot inspection, detailed information in a written timber decay / dry rot report detailing the correct dry rot treatments
•  Dry rot experts will survey and complete a dry rot report detailing all the works that need be carried out on the property to remove the dry rot problem completely.

 

MONITORING

Maintenance and monitoring of the conditions in buildings cannot be stressed enough.  Dry rot develops very slowly, so early detection and curing of moisture ingress will prevent timber decay occurring in the long term. Routine monitoring can be as simple as regular visual inspection to check the integrity of the building fabric against ingress of moisture.

TYPICAL SYMPTOMS OF DRY ROT INCLUDE:

• Wood shrinks, darkens and cracks in a ‘cuboidal’ manner
• A silky grey to mushroom coloured skin frequently tinged with patches of lilac and yellow often develops under less humid conditions. This ‘skin’ can be peeled like a mushroom.
• White, fluffy ‘cotton wool’ mycelium develops under humid conditions. ‘Teardrops’ may develop on the growth.
• Strands develop in the mycelium; these are brittle and dry and crack when bent.
• Fruiting bodies are a soft, fleshy pancake or bracket with an orange-ochre surface. The surface has wide pores.
• Rust red coloured spore dust originating from the fruiting bodies. Commonly described by dry rot control specialists and treatment companies as looking like brick dust.
• Active dry rot produces a musty smell and a  damp odour.

As we have shown it is very important that the type and cause of the fungal decay are correctly identified before any corrective action can be considered from dry rot control specialists. It is for these reasons that it is important that a detailed diagnostic dry rot inspection is carried out by qualified dry rot treatment specialists & surveyors. This inspection should be followed by the submission of a timber decay & dry rot report that details both the cause of the decay and the proposed remedial action.

If you need to arrange a survey from dry rot control specialists, or would like further information regarding timber decay, how to spot dry rot, controlling dry rot in a house / flat that you may be in the process of buying / selling which is showing signs of a suspected dry rot out break, call Adept UK property care specialists to speak to a specialist timber decay surveyor who I’m sure will be able to help and discuss which inspection you require and cost of dry rot survey.

CONCLUSIONS.
In considering the requirements for the growth and survival of dry rot and methods and practices for its control, the emphasis is on attacking the essential requirements for growth and survival. Where chemical control is used as a support measure or to reduce the risk of decay to damp timbers it is essential that the whole of the area of wood at risk is treated, i.e., deep within the timber. This is unlikely to be achieved with ‘conventional’ preservatives.

Unlike conventional preservative pastes the boron based materials are designed to work under high risk situations, i.e., when the timbers are damp and at risk to decay. The boron/glycol formulations have the added advantage in that they will distribute more rapidly than the solid borate rods thereby ensuring greater potential protection and lowering more rapidly the risk of rot.

This is especially important where the moisture contents for dry rot are marginal for survival — the solid borate rods will not distribute so effectively under these marginal conditions.

The control of dry rot should be the total responsibility of specialist treatment companies; this includes all the attendant building works as well as any chemical treatment where deemed necessary.

Fundamentally, the specialist contractor will fully understand the factors involved with the outbreak of dry rot and the significance of the control measures and associated risks. Furthermore, the use of the single specialist contractor will eliminate the problem of ‘split responsibility’ where part of the required and essential work is undertaken by a third party and part by the specialist contractor.

The elimination of this split responsibility certainly serves to eliminate the cause of many continued outbreaks following failure of third parties to comply fully with the instructions issued. It certainly can eliminate some potentially very expensive disputes!

Please note: where dealing with historic properties and where it is deemed necessary to keep as much of the historic timbers as practically possible then it is essential that dry techniques are used. This WILL require careful monitoring of both conditions and the state of the rot; such practices should only be conducted by specialist professionals in the conservation of historic timbers

TIMBER DECAY & IT’S TREATMENT by Brian Ridout

The remedial treatment of timber decay with chemical preservatives is mostly a twentieth century invasion. In previous times rotten wood was replaced, and infestations by wood boring beetles were ignored until serious. The major reasons why the situation changes were a substantial loss in the durability of softwood building timbers, and two world wars.
 
The remedial industry as we recognize it today, that is a man, a van, and a spray lance, came into prominence in the 1950s as the country sought to repair the destruction wrought to its buildings by wartime damage and neglect.

As the industry expanded the guarantee, a marketing ploy was invented. These documents were carefully worded so that they were of little actual value, but they became an end to themselves, and nobody cared what timbers had been treated against provided that a treatment guarantee had been issued.

The general perception was that if a timber decay organism ate wood, and a roof was made of wood, then the decay organism could destroy the roof. This was invariably far from the truth, but nobody noticed, and chemicals are still sprayed on to timber that could never be attacked.
 
The roof will not be destroyed because wood is not the uniform material it appears to be. The woody stem has two main functions. Water conduction from the roots to the leaves, the first function, takes place in the outer, or sapwood zone. This active function requires living cells, which in turn require nutrients. When the tree is felled the cells die, but the nutrients remain, and the sapwood in buildings is always susceptible to decay organisms.
 
As the trunk of the growing tree expands the inner sapwood cells die, chemicals are deposited in the dying cells to protect the tree against decay, and the heartwood, thus formed provides the second function, a strong core for the trunk.
 
The heartwood of our traditional building timbers, European Redwood (Scotch Pine) and oak have a good resistance to decay. The damage that can be caused by beetles in a roof will therefore depend on the amount of vulnerable sapwood in the construction timbers.

Sapwood has increased in modern softwoods because the plantation grown trees are felled when they are still young, but have reached a commercially acceptable trunk diameter. This provides logs that are considerably narrower than the diameter of eighteenth or nineteenth century wild grown logs.

The volume of sapwood in a tree trunk tends to stay constant throughout its length. This means that the thickness of a sapwood band will depend on the width of the trunk, and the thinner the log the thicker the sapwood.
 
The practical implication from this is that the spray treatment of a Victorian roof for example, as protection against furniture beetle (woodworm) is likely to be a completely unjustifiable use of chemicals.

A few beetle holes in the sapwood edge of old rafters usually mean that an infestation is extinct, and that most of the timber is immune from attack. It will never mean that the beetles could destroy the roof, and it certainly does not justify spraying every timber in the house with insecticide.
 
If precautionary treatments against furniture beetles are unnecessary in old buildings, then will they protect against fungus? The answer is no. Some fungi can attack the heartwood the heartwood of durable timbers, but only if here is a considerable amount of water present for a prolonged period.

Decay will only occur where there is a neglected fault, and damage is likely to commence in surfaces that were not treated by the spray lance. Once the fungus is growing then it will be within the timber, and totally unaffected by spray treatments which will not penetrate more than a few millimetres into the surface. These remarks also apply to dry rot.
 
There is probably more rubbish talked about dry rot than any other decay organism, and this misinformation is frequently accompanied by unnecessary treatment. The fungus is a pest of softwood, and usually does not cause much damage to oak, although it may grow over it.

The term ‘dry’ is a confusing legacy from the eighteenth century, and it has nothing to do with moisture requirements. Dry rot requires plenty of water, and will not flourish at timber moisture content below about 25%. Timber in a dry building will usually have a moisture content below about 16%. The fungus does not transport water to wet up dry timber, and it will die if all sources of water are removed.

Whilst vigorously growing dry rot in a wet environment can be immensely destructive there are many situations where it does not cause much damage, and can be killed by drying alone.
 
More information on timber decay and treatment can be obtained from:
 
‘Timber Decay in Buildings. The conservation approach to treatment’ by Brian Ridout Awarded the Best Technical Publication of 1997/2000 by Association of Preservation Technology.
 
‘Timber Decay in Buildings is the first book to tackle all the issues relating to timber decay. It presents the facts and explores timber decay problems through case studies. These are illustrated with clear self-explanatory photographs for the reader to use as a diagnostic aid and discusses various subjects such as timber as a living material, decay organisms, the effect of moisture content on timber as well as an integrated knowledge on decay organisms with holistic preservation methods and the appropriate use of targeted chemical treatments..

The methods outlined here are intended to reduce unnecessary damage frequently caused to buildings by uninformed timber treatments, and form the basis of the timber conservation methods advocated by English Heritage, Historic Scotland and The Society for Protection of Ancient Buildings (SPAB).’.

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