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Timber TreatmentDry Rot
occurs when excess moisture builds upon wood structures, which allows harmful types of fungi to grow on the wood. Dry rot destroys wood by eating away at parts within the wood which give the timber strength. This ultimately reduces the wood to a dry and crumbly state, causing it to weaken and rot. Dry rot is different to wet rot as it requires less moisture to germinate and has the ability to travel through building materials other than timber, giving outbreaks the potential to spread quickly through a building. For this reason, additional measures, e.g. masonry sterilization, often have to be taken when treating dry rot outbreaks or even when dealing with outbreaks of other wood-rotting fungi. If you have any structures in your home that are made of wood, you’re at risk for dry rot and widespread structural damage. Signs Of Dry Rot:
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Wet Rot
can be caused by a fungus called Coniophora Puteana or by fungus known as Poria Vaillantii. Wet rot tends to remain in the damp area, rather than spreading throughout the property like dry rot. In general, wet rot is a term used to describe many types of fungal species that can strike at any wood where moisture and dampness linger and cause significant structural damage to a building over a long period of time. Signs Of Wet Rot:
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Woodworm
is found in many buildings and is the result of wood boring beetles eating their way through the timbers of your house. This can cause structural damage because the beetles can bore through and leave large tunnels in the wood, undermining the structural integrity of the beam in question. The most common places where woodworm can be found are under floorboards, inside wooden furniture, in wooden beams and in window frames. Signs of Woodworm:
Treatment for tigers involves spraying the areas with an insecticide. Our water-based treatments are designed to be non-odorous and as harmless as possible to people and pets. |
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Condensation
Elite Preservation don’t treat condensation issues purely because it can be treated by yourselves. Ultimately condensation tends to be caused by certain living conditions. The most common form of damp is caused by condensation. Condensation occurs when warm air comes into contact with a colder surface such as a wall, window, mirror or when there is too much humidity in your home. Condensation is chiefly a winter problem, as the external air temperature is low causing walls and windows to be cold, in contrast, air within the property is warmed by central heating and daily activities such as cooking and showering. When this moist air comes into contact with a chilly surface, it cools down quickly and releases the water it was retaining, causing tiny drops of water to appear on the surface. Here are some tips on how condensation issues can be reduced in your home: • Improved heating and ventilation coupled with specific action in relation to cold spots will usually result in a significant improvement in conditions, although there may be circumstances in which alternative methods are required. A modest but constant background heat is preferable to intermittent heating since this will help to maintain a higher ambient temperature in the fabric of the building. • The installation of a small extractor fan in a kitchen or bathroom will carry away moisture-laden air from the two areas most responsible for condensation with minimal running costs. This is now also required by the Building Regulations in new constructions. Extractor fans which incorporate a humidistat, which will control the operation of the fan within certain humidity limits are now available. It is also possible to install fans that have an integrated heat exchanger. These have the advantage of providing effective ventilation whilst reducing heat loss from the property. • Where an open fire or fixed gas fire exists, a certain amount of “natural” ventilation will occur and where additional ventilation is provided, it is important that this is not blocked off. • The use of specialist insulation materials fixed to the outside of the building and insulation in cavity walls will help to improve the thermal dynamics of the building and may help overcome condensation. • An alternative to heating and ventilation for the control of moisture in the air is a dehumidifier. This is a device which draws in air, cools it to remove moisture which is collected in a reservoir and reheats it to an acceptable temperature before re-circulating it. • Other devices that may be considered are positive pressure condensation control units. These often take dryer air from roof spaces or lofts and mix this with air in the dwelling. This is done at a very low rate (below half an air change per hour) and has the effect of lowering total moisture content and removing moist air by natural leakage. |
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