Diagnose Wood Rot Siding

If you ve caught an instance of dry rot early enough it can be stopped with boric acid.

Diagnose wood rot siding.

Condensation on the siding s underside can slowly destroy the walls. Boric acid is a powerful fungicide and can eradicate the rot causing fungi as long as they haven t penetrated more than 1 4 inch 0 64 cm into the wood. Any bubbling blistering cracking or flaking paint should be a warning for you. Look primarily for warping mildew buildup or insect infestation.

If it s soft you re dealing with wet rot. Using a screwdriver you can poke underneath the boards. There is not enough information to pinpoint the source of the problem but the cause of wood decay is always the same wood that gets wet and stays wet for too long at temperatures above 40 f. How can you tell if your wood siding is rotting.

For wood decay to begin the wood must be saturated with a moisture content over 28. If you see signs of paint damage it may be a sign that there is underlying wood rot. Wood beneath the siding begins rotting because of water damage. There are a number of sings your wood siding is rotting.

Obviously these vary in severity but if your home has wood siding it s a good idea to check up on it once in a while. Pay attention to the surface of siding frames exterior doors baseboards flooring and drywall.