Lake Stevens homes experience some severe weather, with rainfall throughout the year, high humidity, and other rough weather factors. These weather conditions create the perfect breeding ground for dry rot fungus in your Lake Stevens home. The moisture and humidity that wood in the home has to face allow for the growth of the fungus. With Washington receiving a fairly large amount of rain, the added moisture level can lead to extra moisture being absorbed by the wood.
It can be difficult to detect dry rot sometimes, so it is important to know that just because you do not see it does not mean it is not in your home. Undetected dry rot can lead to severe home damage.
How Can Dry Rot Ruin Your Lake Stevens Home?
Some homeowners can smell dry rot in the areas where the fungus has begun growing. This could indicate there is a small patch of rotted wood. If a homeowner can see dry rot on their walls or trim, this means the damage is much farther along. It can be difficult to tell how long the dry rot has been damaging your home without a thorough inspection.
Moisture on the wood causes the fungus spores to begin to grow and spread, causing dry rot. The dry rot causes the wood to become soft and brittle and begin to fall apart. The rot will continue eating away at any wood in nearby wood if no treatment is made. If dry rot is left for long periods of time, it can cause significant damage, and timber will have to be replaced rather than repaired.
How Is Dry Rot Removed in Lake Stevens?
Having dry rot removed from your Lake Stevens, WA home is critical for several reasons. You will want to ensure that after finding any signs of dry rot, you have a professional come in to take care of the rotted timber to prevent further damage to the wood in your home.
There are steps that can be taken to remedy the dry rot found so that you have less chance of encountering the issue again later down the road. The following steps can assist in the removal of dry rot from the home timber:
1. Locate the dry rot in your Lake Stevens home
Before you attempt to handle any dry rot issue, it is crucial you know where the damage is and to what extent. Locating one spot of dry rot could mean that it has spread to less visible areas, such as under the floorboards and behind the walls. Once you know the extent of the damage, you can then determine the best method for eliminating the dry rot and preventing the fungus from spreading.
2. Remove any wood affected by dry rot
Once you determine the location of the dry rot damage, you can begin focusing on the repair or removal. If you have only found a small damaged area, you may be able to repair the wood using an epoxy resin. If the area is larger, you can remove the damaged timber and replace it with fresh wood to help improve the structure of your home. It is also crucial that you remove any moisture from the home. If humidity remains in the home, fungus growth can occur again in the near future. By keeping humidity levels low, dry rot will halt as the fungus cannot thrive.
3. Treat old dry rot area for future damage
Once any Seattle dry rot repair or replacement has been made to dry rot-affected wood, it is important that you use a fungicide spray on those areas to prevent the fungus from returning. Fungicide sprays can eliminate the fungus spores and prevent additional spores from popping up and spreading.
Signs That Your Lake Stevens Home Has Dry Rot
Spotting dry rot in your home can be tricky, but the following are some telltale signs that you may have a fungus issue:
- Brown or orange spore dust can be found in concentrated amounts
- The grain of the wood may have deep cracks
- The wood smells musty or moldy
- The wood appears discolored
- The timber is fragile and can break apart by touching it
- The wood shows visible rot
How GotRot Can Help You With Your Dry Rot Repairs in Lake Stevens, WA
The professionals at GotRot do not want you to worry about the long-term effects that dry rot could have on your home or your health. We have experience finding the root cause of fungus growth and are able to handle dry rot and fungus infestations of any size. Our team will put a plan in place to quickly resolve your dry rot issue to ensure you are no longer dealing with the fungus in your home. If you Got Rot, then we got your back.