Wood has long been a staple of home construction. While other building materials like metal, concrete, and brick all share the stage, wood is still one of the most common materials used to build and expand homes due to its flexibility, durability, abundance, and aesthetics. That said, wood has plenty of weaknesses. If not properly maintained, your home’s wooden features can deteriorate over time. The most common type of wood damage comes in the form of rot. And if you’re thinking of starting a home painting project, you’ll want to check all your wooden features for rot first.
What Causes Wood Rot?
The direct cause of wood rot is fungus. In the right conditions, fungal colonies can grow and thrive inside and outside of wooden features, gradually eating away at the fibers. The best way to prevent wood rot is to prevent fungi from forming and spreading. In other words, you need to know the conditions in which fungi thrive. The main conditions to look for are moisture, warmth, and a source of oxygen. These conditions are present in areas both inside and outside your home. Let’s examine the areas of your home where wood is most likely to rot.
Bathroom
Hot showers and baths produce plenty of moisture and hot air. If your bathroom contains wooden features, this water vapor can stick the surface and create a prime environment for fungi. Make sure your bathroom has proper ventilation to reduce condensation and allow the steam to exit the room.
Kitchen
Whether from cooking, doing dishes, or making coffee, plenty of heat and water are produced in your kitchen. If you have any wooden features in your kitchen, such as shelves, cupboards, or trim, inspect them for rot on a regular basis. Be sure to check underneath your sink, too, as plenty of moisture can build up there.
Basement
Because they’re underground, basements are a prime location for moisture, fungi, and, therefore, rot. If possible, invest in a sump pump to remove excess water from your foundation. Make sure your gutters are clear and functional. When interior painting, don’t neglect your basement. And lastly, place some dehumidifiers in your basement to lower humidity levels.
Attic
If your roof is leaky, your attic will be the first part of your home’s interior to take on this moisture, making it a common area for wood rot. It may also be the last place you think of when it comes to residential painting. Check your roof and attic often and install a dehumidifier to mitigate the risk of rot. Also, make sure your attic is properly ventilated, since heat, and therefore moisture, rises to these areas of your home.
Outdoor Spaces
Unlike your home’s interior, there isn’t much protecting your exterior features from the environment. Exterior painting contractors can provide one level of defense against wood rot, but otherwise, your outdoor spaces are exposed to the rain, heat, insects, and more. Plus, many outdoor features are built from wood, such as decks, patios, and balconies. As a result, wood rot is most prevalent outside your home.
How Can You Prevent Wood Rot?
As mentioned earlier, the best way to prevent wood from rotting is to reduce the amount of heat and moisture in and around your home. You can do this by reducing the amount of standing water near your home and increasing airflow inside your home. It’s also important to protect your wooden surfaces themselves. Pro painters can clean, paint, stain, and/or seal your wooden features, which will keep water molecules from entering the wood’s pores.
If you think you might have wood rot inside or outside your home, All American Painting Plus can help you. We will inspect your home for rotted wood and, if we find it, make all necessary repairs. Then, we can clean and paint your wooden features to keep them well protected against further rot. To learn more about all that we can do for our clients in Northern Virginia, give us a call at (703)-620-5563!
