Rot Repair

What’s Causing Rot on Your Property?

Depending on the type of rot on your property, you may notice dark patches with water stains, wood that looks sunken, peeling or bubbling paint, or a musty smell. It can develop quickly, often within 24 to 48 hours, and it can spread rapidly through wood and masonry.

The most common cause is excess moisture, often from leaks or plumbing issues. Many leaks are so small that homeowners miss the initial signs, but when the wood stays damp, it creates the perfect conditions for the kind of fungal growth that leads to decay. Other causal factors can include poor ventilation, inadequate drainage, and sustained humidity.

Dry Rot vs Wet Rot

Dry rot and wet rot are the two most common types of wood decay, but they differ significantly in how they spread, the damage they cause, and the conditions they need to grow.

Dry rot is caused by a specific type of fungus (Serpula lacrymans) that thrives in damp environments but can survive in drier conditions once it’s established. It’s especially aggressive and often shows up as brittle, cracked wood. Wet rot stays confined to areas that remain consistently damp. The affected wood feels soft or spongy and may appear darker than the surrounding area. It also doesn’t spread as quickly as dry rot, though damage is common.

How Scott Asbestos And Hazardous Material Removal Ltd Addresses Rot

Rot repair and remediation require an approach backed by knowledge of hazardous material handling procedures. This ensures the safety of your structure and also protects the health of everyone involved or affected.

Here’s what’s involved:

• Full inspection to identify rot, mold, and moisture sources
• Testing for mold, asbestos, and lead contamination
• Containment setup to prevent the spread of spores or particles
• Safe removal of rotted wood and compromised materials
• Surface treatment with antifungal and antimicrobial solutions
• Structural repairs to restore integrity and prevent further decay
• Moisture correction through sealing, ventilation, or drainage

Is Mold Always Present With Wood Rot?

Mold and wood rot are so closely related that they’re often mistaken for the same thing. They both thrive in damp environments and often appear together, which adds to the confusion.

The presence of rot doesn’t guarantee that mold will follow. If the moisture source was brief or the affected area dried out quickly, wood decay might begin without giving mold time to establish. However, especially since the correlation is so high, we treat rot as a strong warning sign that mold may already be present, so we can plan the remediation accordingly.