The leading cause of rotted wood is moisture. Until we can find a way to live without water, your home’s interior and exterior wooden features are susceptible to this form of damage. Fortunately, wood that’s been afflicted with rot can often be repaired if you catch it early on. In order to do this, though, it helps to know where to look. Let’s go over 4 common places where you may find rotted wood in, on, or around your home.
- Wooden Deck or Patio
Your wooden deck or patio is at greater risk for rot than most other places around your home. That’s because these luxurious features are totally exposed to the elements. You can protect your deck against rot by keeping it clean and sealing or staining it every few years. That said, a strong enough storm or particularly aggressive pests can still find ways to weaken these structures over time. If your deck is supported by wooden beams, you must take extra precautions against rot, as this can lead to a collapse.
- Window Sills
Window sills both outside and inside your home are also prime contenders for rotted wood. While your roof and gutters are designed to keep water away from your home’s siding and windows, the wind can still bring plenty of moisture to these surfaces. Ideally, the water droplets will then trickle down the window and fall off the angled sill. However, water can still find ways into seams and cracks and linger there for a while, damaging the wood slowly.
- Fences
Wooden fences remain sturdy and upright by being thrust deep into the earth. This, of course, means that the wood makes direct contact with the soil, which is filled with moisture, bacteria, insects, and fungi just waiting to eat away at that material. To guard against these threats, it’s best to install a barrier between the wood and dirt. This is often done by surrounding the wood with gravel or concrete before placing it in the ground. Of course, moisture can still find its way to your wooden fence from above and below, so it’s important to paint or seal your fence every few years, or hire painting contractors to do it for you.
- Siding
If your home’s siding is made of wood, you have to do some extra maintenance to keep it from rotting and avoid major home repairs. Power washing your exterior every 6 to 12 months is one way to remove mold, mildew, and grime from your siding. And when it’s time to paint your home, hire reliable contractors who are experts in exterior painting. At All American Painting Plus, we do everything in our power to protect your siding from rot and other types of damage. We’ll power wash your home, check for damage, seal all gaps, and use high-quality paint for the best coverage.
Don’t Forget Interior Wood Rot
The four places listed above are (for the most part) outside your home, but interior wooden features aren’t immune to rot, either. Rooms inside your home with high levels of moisture, like your basement, attic, and bathrooms, are especially common areas for rot to rear its ugly head. When inspecting your home for rot, don’t neglect these places.
Should you encounter rotted wood, it’s crucial to act. You must decide whether to repair or replace the wood entirely. The answer isn’t always clear, but All American Painting Plus can help. We will inspect all areas of your home for wood rot and make all necessary repairs or replacements before we begin residential painting. To learn more about all that we can do for our clients in Northern Virginia, give us a call at (703)-620-5563!
