How To Repair Dry Rot Damage in Crawl Spaces
Over the years, dry rot damage in crawl spaces has been a major challenge for many homeowners. Dry rot has the capability of causing structural problems, for example, drywall cracks, sticking doors, and uneven floors, which can be devastating and can create even more damage over time that would require costly repairs. If you have discovered dry rot anywhere in your home, you need to find a way to repair it as soon as possible before it gets out of hand and creates even more devastating damage.
To help you deal with this process, in this article we’ll share all you need to know about how to repair dry rot damage in crawl spaces. With this, you should be able to rescue your home from rot.
Steps You Can Take To Repair Dry Rot Damage
Before going ahead to repair the damages in the crawl spaces of your home, there are certain things you need to take care of first. The first thing you have to do is to address the moisture problem by keeping the crawl space as dry as possible.
Get rid of standing water
Dry rot will only become worse in a damp or wet environment. Moisture is what causes fungi growth and development, creating brittle, weak, and rotted wood.
Pipes and drainage channels are run below every house. Even a small leak can lead to an underground flood, which over time aids the rotting process. In order to repair dry rot damage in crawl spaces, you need to get rid of the main cause of dry rot. Ensure that all roof and yard drains take water away from the house. If the grading around your house is causing water buildup in the subarea then a sump pump is a great tool for water removal. This will ensure that there is no excessive moisture anywhere in your crawling spaces.
If the damage is more severe, then removing all wood damaged by dry rot and treating all crawling spaces is necessary. If the main cause of dry rot is not discovered and fixed right away, this can create more damage over time. Even if the wood damaged by dry rot has been replaced, but the main cause of dry rot hasn’t been eliminated – the process of rotting will start all over again causing the same damage. This is why removing the main cause of dry rot is very important.
Remove wood affected by rot
Dry rot will continue to grow and affect all places if nothing is done. Dry rot is caused by fungi that specifically grow in moist environments. Once a damp moist environment has been eliminated, it’s important to treat, remove and replace all of the wood affected by dry rot.
To make this process even easier for you, make sure to check your crawl spaces for the signs of dry rot as often as you can. It is essential to inspect around plumbing lines and drains, typically found around the kitchen and bathroom areas. Dry rot causes only more dry rot, keep that in mind.
How to prevent future dry rot damage
Wood is prone to being infected by fungi that creates fungal growth and becomes dry rot. Therefore, all the organic materials that are near the wood damaged by dry rot ideally would need to be removed: any debris, leaves, trash and so on. The wood itself can be protected from future damage by fiberglass insulations, plaster, and paneling, most importantly being treated with fungicides.
Get rid of all of the remaining fungi
Lastly, you need to also find a way to eliminate all the remaining fungi to help prevent any future contamination of the crawling space. This can be done by either using organic or chemically formed fungicides. Hiring a licensed company also allows for the use of stronger chemicals that are longer lasting.
All of these steps are very important in removing fungi, treating dry rot and preventing any future dry rot damage. However, if this is not something you have ever done before, you will need professional help. Do not postpone and do not hesitate to ask for help, as further contamination, dry rot damage, and even high cost become inevitable.
Our company, Rot Repair, specializes in removing dry rot, repairing and replacing wood damaged by dry rot. We truly enjoy helping our clients create beautiful safe and comfortable homes. We would be more than happy to provide you with a free in-house consultation on how we can remove the damage created by dry rot. Call us today (916) 833-1379 and our friendly team will be happy to help you create a safer home.