How to Best Prevent Wood Rot

When wood is damp, it starts to rot. If left unrepaired, the rot attracts termites and fungi, and the wood becomes weak and breakable. To best prevent wood rot, it’s important to have your home or building inspected regularly for trouble spots, have the trouble spots repaired, and have a new coat of paint applied.

Trouble areas to look for include:

• Roof eaves, fireplaces, and interior ceilings: Stains, swelling, damage, and discoloration are red flags in these three places. So, if you notice such changes, poke the area to confirm whether the wood is still hard and firm. Call an expert immediately for repair of any soft wood to prevent further wood rot.
• Siding and roofing: The siding and roofing often rot due to the shrubbery and tree branches close to them. When possible, keep at least two feet between your siding and any plants. In addition, siding around the windows, doors, dryer vents, and other opening are prone to cracks, gaps, and wear that may easily rot.
• Gutters and downspouts: Leaking, cracked, and sagging downspouts and gutters let too much water into the wood, causing it to rot. Because gutters and downspouts are natural places for water runoff, you must inspect the gutters carefully.
• Paint surfaces: Paint can easily hide wood rot. As such, you should be on the lookout for discoloration, swelling, cracks, and chipping of any paint.
• Crawl space vents: Even if your crawl space vents are sealed, unwanted debris like leaves and papers can expose the area to rot due to too much humidity. Check any vents for blockages.
• Decking boards: Decking boards need to be free from waste, leaves, dirt, twigs, and other unwanted rubble to avoid wood rot.

At Major Painting, we have years of experience in residential and commercial wood rot repair. To learn more about our wood rot repair services, contact us at Major Painting today!