If you think your property is showing signs of dry rot, it’s imperative that you call in the experts as soon as possible, as dry rot weakens the composition of the wood and compromises the timber frame structure of your property. Trust the team at Prokil to eradicate dry rot signs from your property and call 01202 515566.

What is dry rot?

Dry rot is essentially a name given to the damage caused by a certain type of fungi.   The scientific name for this fungi is Serpula Lacrymans, and it thrives in wet, humid environments. As it spreads, it eats away at the timber, which weakens its structure and causes it to slowly flake away.

Dry rot can spread quickly if left untreated and must be assessed by a specialist, who’ll be able to evaluate the extent of the infection and advise you on the best solution.

What are the dry rot signs?

Unfortunately, dry rot can go unnoticed for a long while after it has startedto manifest itself in the wooden structure of your property. This can often mean that the timber is too infected to be saved.

The first sign of dry rot is traces of damp on the internal walls and a persistent musty smell. If your décor has started to discolour, it’s always best to carry out a thorough inspection by removing the plasterboard to check whether something more sinister is lurking behind it.

We’ve given you some dry rot signs to look out for below:

• Timbers will darken
• Cuboidal cracking of the timber
• Fine grey strands
• Cotton wool like growth
• Red dust

If you spot any of the above dry rot signs, call the team at Prokil immediately, as your property may be unsafe to inhabit.

What causes dry rot?

For dry rot to occur, it requires a constant source of moisture, whether that be from a leaky pipe, a badly ventilated area where condensation is a constant occurrence or from a damaged external wall.

This means that dry rot is more commonly associated with penetrating damp, as rising damp is usually associated with a breakage in your damp proof course, and only occurs when the water table is high enough to reach the foundations of your property.

How do we go about treating the signs of dry rot?

Here at Prokil, our team has been trained to recognise and treat dry rot signs. Unfortunately, once dry rot has manifested itself, there’s no way of treating it and the wood cannot be salvaged.

Instead, we will have to remove and replace any wood that shows dry rot signs and treat all undamaged wood surrounding it with an anti-fungal solution which will prevent any spores from taking hold.

What can you expect when you use our service?

If you believe you’ve recognised dry rot signs in the timber of your property, call the team at Prokil right away. We’ll arrange for one of our specialists to visit your premises as soon possible.

They’ll carry out a survey to assess the damage and inspect your property to find the source of the damp. They’ll then provide you with a costed course of action.

Within the quote, they’ll include the cost to fix the root of the issue, the cost to replace and treat timber and the removal and replacement of damaged plasterboard.

Our team of experts will then tend to your property on a convenient day, then return to replace the plasterboard once everything has dried up.

Why should you choose Prokil?

Here at Prokil, we provide a complete start to finish service; from recognising and diagnosing dry rot signs to recommending the treatment and carrying out the appropriate course of action.

As such, we are now the go-to company for estate agents, building surveyors and property management companies.

We have been providing our damp solution services for over 50 years, and over that period of time have been recognised by a number of institutes for our commitment to providing the highest level of professionalism and expertise.

Our accreditations include:

• GPI (Guarantee Protection Insurance)
• ISSE (Institute of Specialist Surveyors and Engineers)
• Pam Ties Ltd
• PCA (Property Care Association)
• Sovereign
• Trust Mark

“Honest, professional people. Highly recommend. The guy was on time and full of knowledge, explained it all really well. We don’t need any damp proof work at the moment but if we do i will certainly be using these guys.”

Ben Bignell

Contact us

If you have spotted dry rot signs, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Prokil today to arrange your survey.