The cost of a sensible and ongoing maintenance plan is chicken feed when stacked up against the repair bill generated by “vandalism via neglect”.

 

THE ISSUE

As with rising damp, moisture and lack of ventilation are the biggest contributors when it comes to dealing with wood rot.

Because wood is biodegradable, rot is a very natural process, and any tree left dead in the bush will rot away by the same process that must be avoided in buildings.

Anywhere water is allowed to gather or penetrate without the capacity to dry out quickly is a problem, and a maintenance nightmare is not far away. Even the most durable Australian hardwoods are not completely immune to the effects of constant damp.

When old roofs and gutters are left to deteriorate,  and water makes its way into fascias, walls, veranda structures and the like, the amount of damage that will occur over time is as big a problem that can be faced when it comes to wood rot. Similarly, when water makes its way into subfloor spaces and is left unchecked, the repair bill can be very substantial.

 

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