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There are two
main types of wood rotting fungus that attack damp timber in houses and commercial
buildings, Wet rots and Dry rot. To buy rot treatment you need to know the difference
between a variety of Wet rots and the unique fungus, Dry rot (Latin name - Serpula
lacrymans). This is because Dry rot can travel across dry areas made of any material
to reach untreated wood to eat. Wet rots are confined to the wet areas only. However,
areas of Wet rot that dry out can easily turn into Dry rot, as the dampness level
falls into the range that Dry rot prefers. We
provide Free Advice to make sure that the diagnosis of Rot is correct and
that we offer the correct chemical treatment for wood preservation and masonry
(e.g. brick, stone, mortar) sterilisation. All
wood rots indicate a dampness problem. Damp in walls, floors and roofs must be
tracked back to source and the cause of the damp treated (see www.dampness-info.co.uk). Rots
are woodland fungi frequently found in houses and commercial buildings where dampness
has entered, usually as the result of leaking gutters, downpipes, drains or roofing.
They requires an initial moisture content of about 18% in wood, but Dry rot, unlike
the family of Wet Rots, can spread across dry areas and across surfaces treated
with wood preservatives. This ability, unique to Dry Rot, to travel outside of
the damp area makes it dangerous to wood in buildings. You can treat masonry and
timbers with wood preservatives to perfection, but a small pocket of Dry Rot can
still be capable of emerging across the treated area looking for new timber to
attack. Sometimes such
an outbreak can emerge long after initial treatment, as the result of a new leak
into the treated area. The treatment chemical is then over diluted by the water
added from the new leak. This dilution effect occurs because Rot treatments have
to be water soluble in order to penetrate damp masonry and timber. The
answer to this problem is called 'Dry Rot Barrier Paint'. This is an emulsion
paint containing Polyphase, a fungicide which is incorporated in the paint film
when it dries - amazingly Rot will not walk across this coating! Dry Rot
will happily walk across other types of chemical treatment when dry, sometimes
leading to fresh outbreaks many metres from the original treated area. This
effect has been tested by the Government backed Building Research Establishment
(B.R.E.) - the 'Gold Standard' in testing facilities for the Building industry.
The paint can be used on timber and masonry, and it creates a 'No Go Zone' for
Rot, regardless of future dampness problems. Click
here to see Prices or Buy
Areas
to treat Back
of skirting boards, architraves, door linings, joist or beam ends, window frame
reveals, under and between floor masonry.
How
to test Use
a Damp Testing Meter on skirting boards, architraves, door linings, joist or beam
ends, window frame reveals, under and between floor and masonry, looking for readings
over 18% in wood or over 2% in masonry, using the different scales on the Meter
(see Meters on www.dampness-info.co.uk) Click
here to see Prices or Buy
Free
advice What
is Dry Rot, how does Dry Rot spread, how to treat Dry Rot and other wood rots,
how to prevent Dry Rot.
Call our experts David, Kathy or Angela to discuss your house fungus on 01626
331351
Diagnose
Rot 1.
Wet looking, dark, water stained timber, soft and damp to touch or probe - Wet
rot symptom 2. Wood breaking
into lots of small cubes - Wet rot 'cubing' symptom 3.
Wood breaking into larger cubes, fewer but larger cracks across the grain - Dry
rot 'cubing' symptom 4.
Strands, like plant roots, brilliant white, dark brown, or black (flexible when
dry) - Wet rot 'hyphae' symptom 5.
Strands, like plant roots, dirty silver grey (brittle when dry) - Dry rot 'hyphae'
symptom 6. Skin, brilliant
white, dark brown or black - Wet rot 'mycellium' symptom 7.
Skin, off white to silver grey, like felt - Dry rot 'mycellium' symptom 8.
Flat or lumpy mushroom, brilliant white, pale yellow, brown - Wet rot 'fruiting
body' symptom 9. Flat mushroom,
brilliant rust red with rust red dust (spores) on surroundings - Dry rot unique
'fruiting body' symptom 10.
Pillows of off white fluffy growths - Dry rot unique symptom 11.
Damp skirting boards or wooden boards crease inwards along the grain - Wet rot
likely on the rear 12.
Damp skirting boards or wooden boards curve outwards (convex) along the grain
- Dry rot likely on the rear
Special
features of Dry Rot Barrier Paint: *
highly visible white barrier coating, you can see that you are protected (most
treatments are clear, so you cannot be sure they have been applied) *
low odour emulsion paint (low V.O.C.), odourless when dry, can be colour tinted
or matched * not affected
by damp (even if adjacent wood treatments are diluted) *
easy to brush on * low
toxicity active ingredient, only 1 hour re-entry rule *
non-flammable
Go
to our Dry Rot Shop to view prices or place an Order
Independent
Test of Dry Rot Barrier Paint: Building
Research Establishment (B.R.E. - Government backed test house) Dry
Rot Painted Panels (right hand two columns) tested against untreated and
ordinary painted panels (left hand three columns) 
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