DRY ROT Surveys & Treatments
EARLY DIAGNOSIS IS KEY TO KEEP COSTS TO A MINIMUM.
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Dry rot is the term used for the most serious form of fungal decay, scientifically known as Serpula lacrymans. Unlike wet rot, dry rot can spread through masonry and timber alike, and weakens wood by leaving it brittle. This can cause major structural instability and in the most serious cases, it will cause sudden collapse.
With exposed timber, you will be able to tell if something is wrong – dry rot develops on the surface of the wood, so it is clear on beams and flooring. However it is not so clear for structural beams within walls or roofs.
Dry Rot Surveys
If you are moving into a property, be that your new home, renovation, or business – and you think you see signs of dry rot, contact our team to arrange a survey. Not only will a survey put your mind at rest, but they can also potential save you thousands of pounds by spotting and treating the issue quickly.
Once a dry rot survey has been carried out, our team will provide you with a quote for any further treatment.
Dry rot is mainly caused by high levels of moisture and due to its severity, requires immediate attention to forestall future problems. The fungus that dry rot causes digests the strongest parts of the wood, and can spread to other areas that are not affected by moisture.
Dry Rot Treatments
Dry rot treatment methods include:
- Removal of all affected materials up to 1 metre from the last visible signs of decay
- Curing the source of the dampness
- Plaster removed and brickwork sterilised with dry rot masonry biocide
- Remaining timber treated with a fungicidal and insecticidal spray or paste
- Replacement of affected timbers fully isolated from brickwork
The dry rot treatment required varies depending on the extent of the damage, the age of the property, and the severity of the fungus rot. Early diagnosis is key to keep costs and disturbance to your lifestyle to a minimum.
If you suspect you have dry rot, or need a survey for your property, we cover homes and businesses across Lincoln, Horncastle, Skegness and surrounding areas, don’t hesitate to contact our team.
Dry Rot FAQs
- How can you spot dry rot? Like the images show above, dry rot looks like brown cotton wool, or heavy cobwebs around the wood. You may also see mushrooms growing.
- What does dry rot smell like? The smell depends on the amount of wood affected, but generally the smell is very soil-like and musty. Something you don't usually smell inside.
- Can dry rot spread? Yes. The fungus caused by dry rot can spread to nearby timber and cause just as much damage.
- Can you stop dry rot? This is a difficult questions as each situation is different. If treated imediatly, you can stop the spread and further damage to the timber. However, if the timber is heavily damaged, the only option may be to replace the timber itself.
- Will I have to replace timber beams affected by dry rot? If left untreated, dry rot can digest the strongest parts of the timber, leaving it unstable. In bad dry rot situations, you may have to replace entire timber beams to ensure the structural safety of your property.
Who We Work With
We have established an industry reputation for quality, professionalism and reliability. We are the go to Damp Proofing Contractors for some of the largest names in the UK in sectors including Construction, Local Councils, Healthcare and Housing Associations. Here are a selection of our clients below;
From the initial inspection through to the detailed follow-up guidance, we were treated with patience, respect and complete honesty. The surveyor (Mathew) took the time to explain the difference between condensation, mould, salt contamination and rising damp in clear terms, and answered every question thoroughly.
What impressed us most was the complete absence of pressure or unnecessary upselling. Rather than recommending the most expensive and disruptive work immediately, he advised us to begin with the least invasive, most cost-effective measures and monitor the results before committing to anything further. That level of integrity is rare and deeply appreciated, particularly as the property belongs to elderly parents and we needed to know that any recommendations were genuinely in their best interests.
The advice was practical, balanced and clearly based on experience rather than salesmanship. We now feel far better informed and much more confident about the next steps.
Should further remedial work become necessary, this is unquestionably the company we will return to. I would recommend them without hesitation to anyone looking for honest, expert advice and exemplary customer care.
British Damp Proofing have worked on numerous Priceville Properties rental houses over many years and have always done a great job in a timely and satisfactory manner. We can highly recommend them.
I also want to mention the office team because they made the whole process much easier. Every time I got in touch they were friendly and easy to talk to, always got back to me quickly, and took the time to properly answer any questions I had. Nothing ever felt like too much trouble, which really makes a difference when you're dealing with work on a new home.
Overall a really positive experience from start to finish and I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend them
Would not hesitate to highly recommend British dampproofing.
Matthew said that because of the damp Weavils were eating the damp wood hence the wood dust I had found on the carpet. The dampness he believed was due to polystrene wall insulation blocking the air bricks.
Most of the furniture was in the room at the time of his visit so he was limited in what he could appraise, but he said it looked like half of the floor would need to be replace as it was sinking and very spongey in the area by the window where the skirting damage could be seen. There was a wait period for the work to be carried out but a) I expected this as they carry out a lot of work and have to schedule things and I needed time to clear my books and bookshelves as I have a bad shoulder.
When the day arrived for the workme to come an =d commence the work, they found that it was worse than expected. The whole of the floor was starting to fail and the joists under the floor were damp and rotting badly. The whole floor would need doing. This meant that some units and shelving would need to be cleared and removed. The workmen kindly took them down and moved them into other rooms for me so they could do the necessary work.
The men who came to do the work were curteous and hard working. They took out the old flooring and joists, stopped anymore of the polystyrene beads falling through and blocking the vents by way of a sleave around the internal edge of the airbrick, Instaled new joists which they insulated with polymer foam where it touched brickwork to stop any damp reaching it. They then relayed the floor using MDF boarding and replaced the rotten skirting.
The job took 3 days to complete and they took away all of the old timbers and swept up before they went.
They made a good job and there is the peace of mind of a guarantee for the work done.
I would recommend them.
Obviously twice the work meant twice the cost, but with that comes the comfort of knowing that I'm not going to go into the room one day and find the units have fallen into the sub-floor area.
I'd have no hesitation in recommending them to any of my neighbours..
Work completed to high standard.
5 stars 🌟 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Martin & Wendy