**********Detecting Rot:**********
In this segment we will explain to you how to discover if your house is suffering from wood fungi also known as "dry rot". Dry rot can do as much damage to a house as insects that feed off wood such as termites. Detecting Dry Rot is not so hard when you know the proper techniques. To play it safe you might want to take a walk around your house once a month and look for the tell tale visual signs such as:
- Peeling Paint
- Discoloration
- Groups of small cracks or lines accost the grain.
- Mushrooms growing out of the wood
Most often times you cannot detect Dry Rot this easily however. If you see a section of wood that gets allot of moisture then it’s a good change the wood could be infected with fungi. This is because the wood fungus requires four key things for existence.
- Water
- Oxygen
- Food
- Temperature
If you leave out one of these key elements the wood fungi cannot live. This is why old ships that are on the bottom of the ocean do not rot, there is no oxygen under water thus any chance for fungi. Without water the wood is to dry and will not get "Dry Rot". This is why you’re dry wood such as Kitchen Cabinets and furniture does not rot. As listed above the fungus requires food; the food in this case is your wood. This is why most people use pressure treated wood for outside conditions; it is coated in arsenic, which is poisonous. It is building code to use Pressure treated wood on any surface that touches concrete. This is because the concrete sweats and gives off moisture that feeds the fungi. Wood Fungus cannot live in temperatures between 40 and 95 degrees. This is why some buildings in Siberia are over 600 years old; it is far to cold for Wood fungi to exist. How do I detect less obvious wood decay?
try going around to places you think might have dry rot and poke at it with a knife or even pen, if it pushes into the wood easily then you know you have dry rot.
- Acoustics of wood is changed:
Try tapping on wood you suspect to be rotting with a hammer, the sound of healthy wood will give off resonate tones, as the rotting wood will give off a dull thud.
It is known that wood fungi can totally destroy a board within 5 years. I hope this section helped you detect your dry rot before it got that bad. If you have any additional questions about rot you can E-Mail Support@Lairdco.org
**********How do I know when I need to replace my roofing?**********
Here are a few simple ways to determine if you need a new roof installed or not.
Around 20 years is standard for most shingles to be replaced. There are different year rated shingles such as 20, 30, etc. But keep in mind there is other factors that can destroy shingles faster. Such as Sun exposure, and Ventilation.
You can easily tell by looking at the shingles usually if they need to be replaced. You will notice in the most obvious case shingles that have broken off, Warped or buckled, and even noticing that some of the granulated surface has been lost are all key signs of needing replacement.
However I certainly hope you do not discover your needing of new shingles this way, it is defiantly a telltale sign of needing replacement shingles. However if you do find a leak make sure it is not a leaky water pipe before you go call someone about needing a new roof. But however if it is in fact your singles that are leaking by the time you notice it within your house there may be extensive damage to your rafters and sheathing. If your notice of a new roof is acquired this way, it is almost certain you are looking at an expensive fix. However you may be eligible for home insurance claim, and would be worth looking into.
I hope this section helped you determine if your roof will last you a few years, or is in need of replacement. If you have any additional questions about roofing you can E-Mail Support@Lairdco.org
More to come soon. We are welcome to suggestions, or any write ups on detecting needed repair within the household. You can send them to: Paul@Lairdco.org
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