How do I Find, Prevent and treat Wet Rot ?
Wet rot is simply the the wood decaying naturally because of moisture. Wet rot is almost always caused by a structural problem, a damp wall, poor or damaged paint work or simply water collecting on the timber. The cause must be sorted when the timber is treated or Wet rot will reoccur.
What to look for
Check window and door frames, for signs of rot. Timber in the roof is at risk where there is roof damage allowing rainwater to run onto the roof timbers.The bottom of Door and Window frames are favorite spots where water collects or the wall/floor is suffering from damp. The paint may look good but wood under the paint may be rotting. Check by pushing a thin blade or screw driver into the wooden frames, if the blade is difficult to push in its probably ok, but if it goes in up to the handle, you probably have Wet rot in the wood. Timber with Wet rot will feel spongy through the paint when you poke it. When dry, the timber will easily crack and crumble into fine particles. Again If you are not sure what to look for and live in the Bristol area, our carpenter can check for wet rot for you
Preventing Wet rot.
Paint all external timber frames, look for damp walls and sort the problem, The damp proof course could be a missing or damaged, a roof tile may have slipped, If you find or suspect Wet rot ask for advice as the symptom may be just a sign of a bigger problem. Make sure that any soil and other debris is cleared away from around the bottom of timber frames. Check Wet rot's favorite places, under the kitchen sink, bath, shower, washing basins, toilet and behind the washing machine, where a small leak from either a water supply or drain could go unnoticed for a long time.
| Treating Wet rot.
First of all treat any structural problem, there is no point in repairing the damage to the timber if it is going to reappear. If wet rot occurs in structural timbers (such as roof trusses, floor joists), ask for expert advice .In other areas, the rotten wood can be removed and replaced. fairly small area can be cut away and a new piece of timber joined to that remaining. Or a epoxy based repair kit can be used to fill the damaged area once it has been cut back to sound timber and the new surface of the wood treated with a suitable primer. I have never found preservative tablets, which are inserted into the wood around the repaired area, much good, but If there is any doubt that the structural problem has been sorted out the new and adjoining timber should be treated before redecorating.
External timbers should always be protected with adequate coats of paint or timber treatment
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