Whether you're dealing with wood decking, a front porch, or any other wood structure, it's important to understand that wood is vulnerable to rot for many different reasons. Wood rot can make your wood structures soft and prone to crumble or fall apart. This can pose a serious safety hazard for those walking on the wood surfaces, and it can also make that wood more vulnerable to pest infestations. Here are some things that you will want to know about the reasons why you might need wood rot repair.

Moisture Exposure

Few things can cause wood to deteriorate and rot quite the way that moisture exposure can. If the wood hasn't been painted or sealed, in particular, it's vulnerable to moisture. This can cause the wood to become saturated, soft, and damaged. Over time, the wood will crumble and deteriorate. In fact, moist wood can also be more attractive to many pests, as well, because it's softer and easier to penetrate along with providing a water source.

Galvanized Nails And Screws

If the structure was assembled with galvanized fasteners, you may notice that, over time, the wood rots where it's been exposed to the galvanized metal. The chemicals used to galvanize the screws or nails react with the wood to cause deterioration and rot, which is problematic and can be highly destructive to the wood. You'll have to replace both the affected wood and the fasteners.

Insect Infestation Issues

Termites, carpenter bees, and many other insects can penetrate wood and cause it to become far more vulnerable to rot. In those situations, it's important that you address the pest infestation first and then work with a contractor to repair the wood rot afterward. Eliminating the pests is essential because they can cause further problems if you don't.

Fungal Problems

If you don't keep up with cleaning your wood structures, and you don't repaint the surface of the wood regularly, it can leave the wood vulnerable to fungus. Spores are in the air all the time, and they only grow on surfaces when they can take root. This only happens on wood when you aren't keeping it clean, whether by pressure washing or sandblasting. If you seal the wood, you also help to eliminate some of the pores and other areas where the wood is vulnerable. However, when you don't keep up with this, fungal growth can cause the wood to deteriorate and rot, needing replacement or repair to fix the problem.

These are some of the most important things to know about wood rot problems. Talk with a wood rot repair contractor today for more information.

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