Maintenance is a roofing service that every homeowner needs to take seriously. Some homes may appear beautiful to the naked eye, but they may be riddled with underlying damages. This is one of the reasons that potential buyers get inspections performed. Maybe you do not have plans to sell your home, but you may not have had a recent roofing inspection. Delaying an inspection could mean that you have existing roof repair issues that will likely get worse the longer you postpone the inspection and the required roof services. Dry rot is one of the top contributing factors of damaged roofing systems. It is a situation that can be corrected if it is identified in time and not allowed to manifest. However, delayed discovery or roof repairs can result in a roofing replacement being needed. The following points will help you to understand more about this type of roof damage.
What is dry rot?
It is a type of fungus, and like other fungi, it can replicate quickly. The results can be devastating because it favors the conditions that building materials made of wood tend to have. Dry rot feasts off of wood, and its spores spread similarly to black mold. One notable feature of dry rot is its spores' ability to settle on surfaces and live in dormancy until moist conditions occur. The moisture will, in a sense, "resurrect" dry rot, and it will inevitably spread if not addressed. Roofing systems and attics make attractive breeding grounds for dry rot because moisture-rich conditions may exist due to humidity or precipitation and drainage issues.
Does it really rot wood?
The name stems from the way that the fungi consume building materials and appear to have a rotted-away structure. The end result can be severe to the point that roofs begin to sag. Roof leaks may occur as the roofing system deteriorates. Sometimes leaks are the first thing that homeowners notice. Upon inspection, they might discover that they need to have emergency roof repairs done to contain the problem. There might be situations where the deterioration and contamination are too advanced to safely repair. A professional roofer can make this assertion.
Are there certain areas of homes where dry rot is prevalent?
When identifying dry rot, you can expect to see it thriving on wooden building materials. It may be located near areas that promote its growth. If you notice rotting building materials near areas that are exposed to water, the issue might not be water damage but rather dry rot. Common areas are near or around pipes, on wall or siding surfaces, near downspouts, and near gutters. Advanced dry rot will crumble or flake when touched and leaves behind distinct brownish-orange dust.
Proper dry rot treatment and roof repairs will need to be addressed by a roofer. They will determine what is causing the moisture issues and allowing dry rot to thrive. The damaged areas of your roof will need to be repaired, and large areas of damage may mean a roof replacement is necessary.
To learn more, contact a roof repair contractor.
When you develop a roof leak, you don't have time to ignore it. Issues with leaks can cause problems as simple as incoming water and as wide-ranging as mold accumulation inside your home, which is why you should never let an issue sit. However, if you aren't careful, you could develop problems with roofing that is simply open to the elements, allowing rain and snow to enter your home, melt, and contribute to problems like mold growth. On this blog, you can learn more about the kinds of roofing issues that you could be faced with, and what to do about them.