Dry Rot, Wet Rot and Woodworm

Timber is commonly used in houses and buildings, but is a vulnerable material that has to be protected.
There are three different types of issues that can be caused by timber and they are:

• Dry Rot

• Wet Rot

• Woodworm

All three require different treatments, so it is important that a specialist, such as ourselves, come take a look, identify the correct issue, and recommend the correct treatment.

Dry Rot is a fungal decay in which a fungus digests parts of the timber to grow. It can spread without any moisture source because timber digestion provides it with moisture. Once dry rot spreads, it can severely damage the structural integrity of a building.

Dry Rot can be caused by leaking gutters and downpipes, penetrating damp, poor ventilation, and rising damp.

Wet Rot is another timber-eating fungus that targets unprotected timber components in buildings. Wet rot sustains itself by feeding on the moisture and nutrients from timber but can also damage plaster, wallpaper, and carpets. Wet rot is less destructive than dry rot, but still needs to be treated as it can affect the building's structural integrity.

Wet Rot can be caused by roof defects, plumbing leaks, leaking or blocked gutters, shower trays and around baths, penetrating damp through walls, and condensation.

Woodworm is caused by moisture within the timber. When there is high moisture content within the timber, female adult beetles will hatch their eggs during the summer months and the beetle will then burrow through the timber and leave exit holes behind once finished. This process can include 2-5 years of tunneling and eating the timber, weakening the structure.

To identify woodworms, you can look out for exit holes in the timber, the presence of grass, tunnels within the wood, damaged wood, and actual beetles.