Wood is a great material for homes since it is affordable and durable. But it has its own vulnerabilities. One of these is wood rot. It is a natural process that stems from the presence of both fungi and moisture. There are different types out there, but the results are the same: damaged wood.
Considering that people use wood in various parts of their house, this can be very bad. If you do notice that wood in your house is rotting, here are some useful tips on how to identify and fix the damage.
Identify High-Risk Areas and Inspect Them
One of the first things that you need to do is figure out where the wood rot is likely to occur. The general guideline for this is any exposed wooden structure. This includes everything from a wooden patio to wooden window frames. You should also check places where moisture is prevalent like your basements or attics.
Once you identify them, you will need to regularly do inspections on these areas so that you can catch wood rot early. The further along wood rot is, the more difficult it is to deal with. Catching the rot early makes it possible for you to fix things. If left alone, you might possible have a major problem as the supporting wood materials give up and break. Don’t wait until the roof falls down on your head.
Determine the Amount of Damage
When you do detect damage, you will need to take a closer look. There are three types of rot out there. Brown and yellow rot are pretty devastating because they can quickly spread out to various parts of your home. The good thing about them is that they only thrive at certain temperatures so you won’t have to worry about them at certain times of the year. Soft rot is slower by is more consistent.
Once you figure out what type of rot is there, it is time to assess how widespread it is. Probe the rotting area with a screwdriver to see how far it goes. This can reveal the depth of the damage. If it is too deep, then you may need to call the experts.
Clean the Area and Fix It
If the rot is minimal, you can fix it on your own. The first step is to clean the rot away. Leaving it there allows the fungi to further spread.Fixing rot damage is essential. After the rot is gone, you should sand down the platform or clean up properly so that no spores are left behind. This is when you apply wood epoxy and the like to fill up the cracks.
Get Professional Help
If the damage is too bad, you might want to get professional help. For example, porch repair professionals in Utah and other states would suggest a full replacement of your porch if the rot has gone too bad.
Wood rot can reach deep into the various parts of your house. Besides looking ugly, the damage can weaken the structure of the items damaged by the rot. The tips above should be a big help in repairing the damage. With some effort, you can fix things to be as good as new.
