What Is Wood Rot, and How Can You Protect Your North VA Home?

Ah, spring. Flowers, blue skies, green grass, barbecues...

There’s a lot to love about the season, isn’t there?

Unfortunately, this is also a season when we observe the handiwork of some of nature’s less desirable elements. Specifically, wood rot.

So, what is it and how can you stop it? Join us for a closer look!

What Is Wood Rot, and How Does It Start?

Food, oxygen, the right temperature, and a dash of moisture are all the ingredients needed to create wood-eating fungi. And, after a long, cold winter, a “frozen” problem will quickly become active again.

As unpleasant as it may be to think about, wood rot becomes a rapidly-growing problem, especially as the fungi’s appetite leads it on to those fresh, healthy wood fibers it just can’t resist.

What’s the Best Way to Prevent Wood Rot?

The key is to lock out moisture as effectively as possible.

While we can’t (and wouldn’t want to) prevent naturally-occurring moisture like rain, you can protect your home’s exterior wood by sealing it with paint and stain.

This is an important consideration to camp on for a minute. Many homeowners think that coating wood is mostly for the sake of improving aesthetics, but it actually serves the even more vital purpose of protecting the surface. That’s why we promote the concept so heavily of routinely inspecting and touching up these important systems, preventing issues before they have a chance to take root.

How Do You Remove Wood Rot?

If a problem is already under way, it’s time to take proactive measures. A professional painting company can help with light carpentry and repairs, replacing wood as needed, or filling, repairing, and sealing the smaller points of decay.

Talk to your local painting and carpentry pro today, and put together a plan to stop wood rot in its tracks. It’s certainly the wisest, most cost-effective approach!