In order to make a correct diagnosis of timber treatments/replacement it is important to identify the different types of fungal decay and timber attacks within buildings. Wood rotting fungi can be divided into two categories:

ACORN GUARANTEE TREATMENTS

DRY ROT & WET ROT

All active fungal attacks result from the presence of excess moisture within a building and the identification and rectification of the cause of this dampness and drying out of the existing dampness must be regarded as an essential part of successful remedial treatment.

DRY ROT, SERPULA LACRYMANS

Dry rot, serpula lacrymans is one of the most feared form of timber decays can be found in damp unventilated areas in buildings where the woodwork exceeds 20% moisture content but is not necessarily saturated. This form of fungus requires stable conditions and may extend through and over brickwork and masonry to dry wood within the vicinity of the areas causing further damage. The diagnosis and treatment of dry rot is far more extensive than treatments required for wet rot.

WET ROT, CONIOPHORA PUTEANA

Wet rot, coniophora puteana normally occurs in moist or wet timbers either inside or outside buildings and is normally consistent with timbers that are embedded within damp walls. This is therefore important to eliminate the dampness before treatments are carried out. Wet rot can also occur to internal timbers where bad ventilation is apparent and attacks both softwoods and hardwoods.

WOOD BORING INSECTS, EUOPHRYUM CONFINE

Another form of decay which can cause damage to timbers is the damage caused by different forms of wood boring insects. The most widespread and economically important of the wood boring insects in the United Kingdom is the common furniture beetle, anobium punctatum. The attacks increase very slowly and several years elapse before damage becomes noticeable. Damage by insects although important should not be over emphasised and it must be considered that in most instances where timbers are at risk it can be protected by appropriate preservative treatments and normally the existing timbers do not have to be removed. Insect attack is normally distinguished by means of the presence of holes on the surface of timber, or tunnels within the wood, or by small heaps of bore dust falling from infested timber combined with the reduction of the attack wood to a powdery condition, or with the possible change of colour in the timber.

GUARANTEED TREATMENTS

Acorn Building Services Limited are members of the British Wood Preserving and Damp-proofing Association and the Guarantee Protection Insurance Ltd. All work carried out by our Company is fully guaranteed and underwritten for both workmanship and materials by the approved insurance protection trust.

In the case of dry rot being present to timbers and plaster it is necessary to remove the existing timber to approximately 1m past the last signs of decay, and carry out all necessary replacement and treatment works as necessary, along with the associated removal and reinstatement of plaster and timber, together with building work internally and externally. In the case of wet rot this normally has to be replaced or in the majority of cases the wet rot affected timber can be treated or protected. With reference to wood boring insects it is normally possible to treat the existing timbers in situ, using the modern techniques which involves injecting and spraying timbers.