Snohomish is known for its excessive rainfall. With an average of 50.3 inches of rainfall annually, well above the average for the United States, homes are at greater risk of wood rot. In addition to the rain, Snohomish often sees warmer, humid weather, creating the perfect breeding ground for the fungus that grows on wood.
Homeowners need to be extra vigilant when searching for any signs of dry rot in their homes because it can spread so quickly, leading to potential structural damage. If left unchecked, dry rot can spread from the affected area to the surrounding wood, including the wood framing. Later-stage dry rot can compromise the integrity of your home. If you have noticed any signs of dry rot, you need a Seattle dry rot repair from GotRot.
Can Rotted Wood Be Repaired?
Dry rot spreads very quickly if not caught soon enough. If the dry root is caught early enough, the wood can be repaired if the damage is minimal. If the damage is too far gone or if the rot is on a wood-bearing structure, the wood will be compromised and require a replacement of the full piece of wood.
Treating Your Dry Rot Problem
Our professional, experienced team will provide a thorough inspection of the wood in your home, identifying any moist locations. Once the source of the moisture is identified, we will remove it so that the spores can no longer germinate, and we will begin replacing and repairing the wood, where needed. Our experts will recommend a customized treatment to keep your home’s structure sound, and we aim to work with you on which strategy you would like us to execute.
Why Is Early Detection So Important?
Dry rot can often go undetected by homeowners, especially if the dry rot is occurring in crawl spaces, attics, or underneath floorboards. After heavy rains, floods, snow, or indoor water damage, it is crucial that homeowners keep an eye out for dry rot so that a professional can mitigate the damage early on to avoid any spreading of the fungus spores.
In addition to the repair costs, if detection is not done early enough and the damage is severe, homes in Snohomish that have been affected by dry rot can lose their value because of the appearance of them being poorly cared for, making them look unattractive.
Is It Expensive to Fix Dry Rot
Price will depend on a few different factors. If you are fortunate enough to catch the dry rot problem early and it has not had time to spread a far distance, you have likely saved yourself some money. Minimal damage with more minor repairs could cost you a few hundred dollars.
However, if the dry rot has been in your home for a lengthy period of time and has spread to multiple pieces of wood or structural pieces, you could be looking at a more extensive repair bill. Leaving dry rot once it has been found will cause the damage to continue and make your already expensive repair bill worse. You could be looking at repairs costing thousands of dollars.
Call the experts if you suspect moisture and fungus are affecting your home. We will conduct a professional analysis, inspect your wood closely, and help you identify dry rot before it is too late.
How Do I Know if Dry Rot Has Affected My Home?
There are some tell-tale signs that your home could have dry rot that needs to be addressed immediately. Depending on the location the rot is occurring, most homeowners notice the rot from the following signs:
- The wood appears damaged or decaying
- The wood has gray-like strands running through it
- The grain of the wood has deep cracks
- A musty smell is emitted from the dry rot area
- Large mushroom-shaped fungi may be found
- Orange or brown spore dust may appear in large piles where the dry rot has damaged the wood
- You are able to break apart the brittle wood with your fingers alone
How is Dry Rot Fixed Without Removing It?
While not an easy job, there is a process our team takes when repairing damaged wood. When fixing a home damaged with rot, it is crucial that we thoroughly remove all possible damage. The following is the process for eliminating dry rot-affected wood:
Locate the dry rot in the home
Your home will be fully evaluated for dry rot by one of our experienced Snohomish professionals. A thorough inspection is important before beginning any work to ensure we do not miss any possible rot.
Find the cause of the dry rot
Finding the cause of the rot is just as crucial as the repair. You will want to remove any moisture in your home so that the wood can dry out and fungus has no ability to continue spreading.
Remove wood rot damage
Once the moisture is removed, we will start working on the damaged sections to remove the rotted wood area that can be repaired rather than replaced. Dry rot that has damaged wood in your home is typically treated by filling in the rotted area with an epoxy resin. We will be sure to remove and fill affected areas to help avoid any future damage from occurring.
Replace overly damaged wood
Areas that are unable to be filled must be removed and replaced with new wood, especially wood that is a weight/bearing structure.
Prevent further dry rot
After all repairs and replacements have been made, it is critical to prevent any further damage by preventing the fungus from returning. For this, our professionals recommend using a fungicide treatment that is used to help the home regain its structural integrity by keeping the fungus growth at bay. Without using a fungicide, there is a good chance the fungus will return, and you could have to deal with this terrible ordeal all over again.
How Long Will It Take to Repair or Treat Dry Rot?
The amount of time it will take to eliminate dry rot in a home will vary depending on the specific circumstances of the damage. If the home has a less severe case of dry rot and has not spread to multiple areas of the home, the time to fix or replace it would be much quicker compared to a more severely damaged home where the dry rot has spread to structural areas.
If you have caught the dry rot problem early and called us in for an evaluation, the time it will take to repair should be a few days to a week. Cases of dry rot that are more severe and require rotted timber to be removed could take a week or longer to remedy. If the dry rot has damaged structural locations, the repair and replacement process could be lengthy due to the required materials and equipment needed to handle it.
Working With a GotRot Expert Is Your Best Bet
At GotRot, we care about you and your home, and we are diligent about removing the dry rot from all damaged wood so that you do not have to worry about your home’s structural integrity and potential health issues stemming from dry rot.