Rot and infestation management

If you find rot or an insect infestation that you are unsure of, this does not mean you always need to pass on responsibility for remediation to a 'specialist'. Rot or woodworm damage is nearly always a signal that there has been too much dampness at position X in the building. Standard building repairs will often suffice, coupled with measures to stop the moisture from entering.

Remedies range from chemical treatment, to those seeking to remedy rot and insect damage by a 'holistic' approach to moisture management.

Chemical treatment

In the chemical treatment approach, existing organisms are more or less killed off, and preservatives remaining in or on the timber or masonry act as a defence against future rot outbreak or colonisation by insects. Chemical treatments are either 'blanket treatments' of a whole building element, or are targeted to a specific zone of the building.

Holistic approach

In the holistic approach (sometimes referred to as the environmental control approach) the main aim is to manage dampness more effectively in the building, so conditions that favour rots, mould and insect infestations do not develop or persist. This requires a good working knowledge of the building as a whole.

Combination

There are remedies that combine use of chemicals with management of dampness. Using chemicals can help speed up remedial works. In assessing the extent of a rot outbreak, the amount of stripping out can be reduced if optical instruments such as borescopes are used to check condition of voids/concealed areas. The most important element in the control of rots and infestations is by controlling the dampness – not by treatments that merely address the symptoms.

Chemical treatments are therefore your last resort.