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Dry Rot: The Subtle Roof Destroyer

Roofs are built to last and are generally resilient and durable. Standard asphalt shingle roofs average around twenty to twenty-five…
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Jacob Wadding

Roofs are built to last and are generally resilient and durable. Standard asphalt shingle roofs average around twenty to twenty-five years of life with proper maintenance and frequent inspection. But some factors can hasten the degradation of your roofs, such as extreme weather phenomena (like hurricanes and hailstorms), unforeseen accidents, and invasive growths like dry rot. What is dry rot? Why is it bad for your roof? expert roofing contractor ARCH Exteriors, LLC is here to tell you what it is!

Dry Rot

 

Invasive Fungi

 

Dry rot is a type of invasive fungi that thrives in confined and concealed parts of your roof, especially in dark, moist corners. It’s extremely resilient, known to be able to stay dormant for years until exposed to moisture again, and can reproduce and grow at an alarming rate, releasing more than five million spores per minute. It’s mostly known for affecting organic roofing materials (especially wood), making it a subtle and destructive growth for all homeowners, especially those with older, traditionally made homes.

 

Detection

 

Dry rot symptoms on wood can be identified as follows:

 

Soft and Brittle

 

The easiest way to know if dry rot is present on your wooden materials is to apply a bit of pressure on the surface. Wood that is infected with dry rot collapses and breaks apart very easily, and can easily be crushed with a little pressure.

 

Peeling Paint

                

As the wood rots from the inside, you can see cracks on the paint, and parts of it are peeling off. It looks like it’s being sucked inward, imploding in the middle, and this is because major portions of the internals of the wood are now gone. If a majority of the support beams and structure of the roof look like the paint’s peeling off and the wood has become extremely brittle, a roof replacement might be in order.

 

Breaks Apart in Slivers

                

Try poking a portion of the infected wood with a screwdriver or a piece of metal, and if the wood breaks apart in slivers or shard-like pattern, then wood rot has already claimed that part of your roof.

 

Wood Rot vs. Termite Damage

 

Wood rot damage looks very similar to termite damage and it is common to be confused between the two of them. The easiest way to know if your wood has been damaged by either termites or wood rot from afar is to look for outright signs. Termite damage is usually confirmed when there are a bunch of mud tubes or tunnels around the wood. They look like long clumps of dry dirt that appear like veins around your wood. But if there are no mud tubes or tunnels to be seen, try poking the damaged wood itself. If the wood has holes and burrows (that may even contain the termites themselves) inside it, it’s termite damage. But if the wood breaks apart in slivers, then it’s wood rot.

 

Looking for a reliable roofer? ARCH Exteriors, LLC provides professional services at agreeable rates while offering only the best packages for every client! We offer only the best selections and the highest quality assistance for your home improvement needs. For any inquiries, you can reach us at (877) 214-2831 or fill out our contact form to request an estimate. We serve homeowners in the state of Maryland.

About the Author
Your home is probably the most expensive thing you own. When you hire somebody to make improvements, you want high-quality work. In addition, you hope they’ll take the same care you would. You want someone with a good reputation, legitimate credentials, well established, using quality materials, and who charges a fair price. For over 11 years, I have worked hard to provide all of those benefits to my clients. One of the major reasons we have been able to do that is our ability to keep highly qualified personnel. Our workers are well trained, properly motivated, and managed professionally. I make certain that I convey measurable systems and procedures that our team understands and can readily follow.

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