Wet and dry rot
It's rotten luck
Both wet and dry rot start in places where timber gets wet. So you should look under 'suspended' timber floors (especially ground floors), in cellars, attics and lofts, outhouses and garages, and around external door and window frames. Where there is no natural light, use a torch for inspection.
Treatment
Wet and dry rot can both be treated, but it is essential to remove the cause of the damp conditions that started them in the first place.
Check the following:
If under floor timbers are rotting, are there enough airbricks (minimum one every 2m of wall), are they clear and unblocked?
If the ends of ground floor joists are rotting, has the damp-proof course been bridged by earth or has it failed (causing rising damp, indicated by spoiled decorations)?
If rot occurs in an outhouse, is it caused by condensation, resulting from poor ventilation, inadequate heating or poor insulation?
If rot occurs in upper floor timbers, is there a plumbing fault inside or outside the house that is causing damp conditions?
If condensation in loft spaces is causing rot in the timbers, is there adequate ventilation in the loft?
If rot is occurring in window and door frames, is the gap between the frame and the wall filled with non-setting silicone or mastic and is the paint film in good condition?
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