Anchor Property Care specialises in treating dry rot in Devon and Exmoor. We have a lengthy history of helping customers who are having Dry Rot difficulties with both residential and commercial properties. Upon request, we may provide a detailed survey and quote. We can also complete other building and construction activities on your property.

Dry Rot General Information:

Dry Rot is a brown rot and is the common name etc. Serpula Lacrymans, the dry rot fungus, is significant for its ability to spread extensively behind plaster and through wall materials. Successful remedial treatment may requires elaborate and sometimes expensive measures.

Fungal decay in timber is always related to a high moisture content. Providing that timber is kept dry, it will not decay due to fungal attack. When untreated timber becomes damp and if allowed to remain in that condition it will almost certainly be attacked by one or more of the many wood rotting fungi.

Spores are present in the environment and potentially present in all properties. However, a spore will only germinate where both dampness and a food source exists i.e. wood and some other cellulose based materials. Fore spore germination to be achieved, moisture must be present within the wood.

Once initiated, the hyphae and mycelium growth of the fungus has the ability to grow through and over damp masonry etc., in search of further cellulosic based materials to attack. Timbers which are in direct contact with or within adjacent areas of damp masonry will be at great risk from attack, for example joist ends, lintels, panelling, fixing grounds, skirting, etc. and any other timber which can become and remain damp/wet.

Moisture/Water Ingress

It is imperative that all actual and potential sources of moisture ingress be rectified. Common sourced of moisture ingress include rising and penetrating dampness, defective rainwater goods and plumbing (internal and external), incorrectly hung guttering, blocked hopper heads and gutters, uncapped projections, defective external renderings, coating, pointing, unsound masonry, together with faulty roof coverings and/or flashings, incorrect falls to balconies and flat roofs, etc.

A build-up of moisture within a sub-floor area may be as a result of defective drainage, variations within the water table and any other sources of water that may exist below or adjacent to the property.

Consideration should be given to sub-floor ventilation. Where this is inadequate, additional air vents must be installed to improve the flow of air beneath suspended timber floors.

Unless these items have been specifically mentioned within our report/specification, we have made no allowance to attend to such defects, other than to bring this potential point to your attention.

Site Attendance

Throughout the contract duration, the client is to offer free and unrestricted access to all those areas scheduled for treatment/works including the removal of fixtures, fittings, furnishing and floor coverings and any other obstructions that may restrict or prevent our proposed works prior to our arrival on site. A water and electricity supply must be made available to our technicians on sire throughout the duration of the contract, together with welfare facilities.

Should alternative arrangements need to be necessary, this must be discussed with our Contracts Department prior to the works proceeding.