Timber Infestation Arises From Damp Conditions
You may not be entirely surprised to learn this from a website run by a damp specialist such as London Damp Company, but damp is the single factor common to the cases of timber infestation we most frequently encounter.
Neither wet rot, dry rot, nor woodworm favour dry environments. A certain level of damp—one not usually encountered in ideal domestic conditions–is required to create an environment in which these pests can thrive.
If you have a timber infestation in your home, you also have a damp problem. Call us on 0207 127 6886 to book your free timber and damp survey. Book an inspection
Woodworm Love Damp
Woodworm is a general term applied to several different species of beetle. It isn’t the beetles themselves which bore into the wood, but their larvae. The adult beetles lay eggs on or just beneath the surface of your joists, skirting boards, floorboards and furniture, and the resulting larvae then feed on the wood before pupating and emerging as adults. The new adults then also lay eggs, giving rise to many new generations of woodworm.
As you’ve no doubt realised from this description, woodworm is not a self-limiting problem. If you have an infestation, not only do you need timber treatment, it’s also important to diagnose your underlying damp problem to prevent a recurrence. A combined timber and damp survey Book an inspection is a very good idea if you’ve found evidence of woodworm in your home.
Wet Rot Loves Damp
As the name suggests, wet rot is an infestation found in overtly damp sections of timber. Like dry rot, this problem is caused by a wood-digesting fungus. Unlike dry rot, its effect is confined to moist areas of wood and it is a relatively simple issue to eradicate.
If you’ve spotted the signs of wet rot in your home, call us on 0207 127 6886.
Even Dry Rot Loves Damp!
Dry rot is a misleading term, apparently originating in the 18th century. It describes a condition more properly known as brown rot, caused by a number of different fungi which colonise and digest dead wood such as that found in your furniture, skirting boards and the structural timbers of your house. The phrase ‘dry rot’ came about because shipbuilders and marine surveyors habitually observed this problem in dried timbers, so it was attributed to ‘internal fermentations’ within the wood and not linked with the more obviously wet types of fungal decay.
But don’t be misled by its name: dry rot requires more than averagely damp conditions before it can establish itself. Once established, it can spread through the structural timbers of your house and weaken them: it is a serious condition which can be difficult to treat, so time is of the essence.
If you suspect your home is suffering from dry rot, call London Damp Company on 0207 127 6886 or complete the form to book a timber and damp survey today. Book an inspection