Wood is a wonderful surface, especially for decks and fences. When it's in top form, it creates a feeling of warmth and laidback luxury. When wood gets dull and weathered, though, it can make your whole property look old and rundown. Wood needs a little extra care to stay in prime condition, which is why professional wood cleaning and staining is a must.
Regular wood cleaning and staining go beyond maintaining your wood's beauty. It protects the health of your wood and prolongs its life.
One of the most common problems homeowners experience with wood is dry rot. Dry rot is pretty easy to detect. Wood darkens and becomes spongy, flaky, or crumbly. You might even see white fuzzy spots, similar to cotton, and the wood smells musty. In dry rot's advanced stages, the wood literally looks dried out and cracked, and it will fall apart at the slightest touch.
What Causes Dry Rot?
The root cause of dry rot is moisture. Wood that's constantly exposed to moisture develops small cracks. (Even pressure-treated wood is susceptible to cracking when it gets excessive moisture.) By way of these cracks, fungus infiltrates and feeds on the wood's cellulose, causing the dry, flaky, rotten bits. This dry rot then attracts other wood-loving pests, like termites and ants, which further exacerbate the decay and deterioration.
Other things contribute to dry rot. Dirt, grime, chemicals, and contaminants such as mold, mildew, and algae eat into wood and compromise its integrity, allowing the dry rot fungus access.
How To Fix Dry Rot
Once dry rot sets in, it'll spread through the entire piece of wood and any surrounding pieces. At the very first sign, affected areas must be completely removed and replaced.
Of course, prevention's the very best way to deal with dry rot.
How To Prevent Dry Rot
Protecting wood from moisture and pooling water is the key and having routine wood cleaning and staining conducted by a trusted contractor like Pure Jet Pressure Washing helps enormously.
First, our technicians will inspect for early signs of dry rot and check for things that cause moisture to accumulate, such as:
- Low spots or uneven boards that allow water to pool
- Overhanging trees that funnel rain onto wood
- Plumbing leaks
- Leaking sprinklers
- Clogged or overflowing gutters
- Blocked downspouts
Then, a thorough pressure washing will strip away the gunk that contributes to dry rot and make a perfectly prepared surface for new stain.
Finally, a rich, protective coat of stain will restore your wood's brilliance and lock out moisture. Unfortunately, a stain isn't a permanent remedy. It has to be redone every couple of years. If you want your wood to stay nice, it needs this extra attention, but when you have a team like Pure Jet Pressure Washing helping you, this little bit of extra care pays off big time.