How to Take Care of Wood Rot and Dry Rot in the Charleston, SC Area

Home Upkeep and Tips on How to Take Care of Wood Rot and Dry Rot in Mount Pleasant, North Charleston, and Nearby Cities

A yearly check around your home is important for its overall upkeep and health. Have you ever checked your home to make sure there is no dry rot or wood rot? If you do not know what to look for or are wondering what the difference between wood and dry rot is, keep on reading to find out.

Wood Rot and Your Home

Areas of your home that are susceptible to moisture, such as the basement, are at risk for wood rot. Be sure to check these areas often:

• Siding
• Crawl Space
• Wet Rooms
• Bathrooms
• Basement
• Exterior Timber
• Entryways

Using a long-handled screwdriver and a flashlight, poke around and look for the common signs of wood rot. These signs can be the discoloration, softness, or swelling of the wood. An odor is a sure sign as well. You can prevent or lower the risk of wood rot by putting a dehumidifier in the basement, installing an exhaust fan, or wiping standing water off your deck. If rot does occur, the wood will need to be dried out and then sealed with a borate or copper wood preservative.

Handling Dry Rot

Unlike wood rot, dry rot is a fungal infection in your home’s timber. This will make the wood brittle and decay over large areas at once. You can identify this by tell-tale growths, orange spores, and gray lines in the wood. The affected wood will need to be removed and replaced by timber pretreated with fungicide.

Wood rot and dry rot can take a toll on the health of your home. Avoid these problems by checking your home or hiring craftspeople to check and upkeep your home for you each year. Taking care of leaks, wiping away rainwater, and more are all important tasks around the house.

Contact Handyman Connection of Mount Pleasant

Contact Handyman Connection of Mount Pleasant today. Call (843) 287-9223 to schedule your first home improvement estimate today.