Dry rot treatment in Nottingham

Peter Cox can survey and treat dry rot in properties all over Nottingham. Whether you have dry rot problems in your home, a commercial property or public building, our qualified and experienced surveyors and technicians can offer the right treatment plan, the highest standard of work and a long term guarantee for complete peace of mind.

To get a flavour of what Peter Cox can do for your proerty continue reading this page for a case study detailing a dry rot and damp treatment we did on a commercial property in the heart of Nottingham. Alternatively, if you want one of our experts to survey your property in Nottingham for dry rot today then click the button below to book a survey online. 

Peter Cox were called out to carry out an inspection of a large commercial building in the heart of Nottingham which is being considered for redevelopment. With the premises being considered for potential regeneration the survey focused on identifying evidence of damp, fungal decay and woodworm infestation - all issues that can affect the structural integrity of the building and any issues found would need to be treated at the early stages of the project.

A qualified surveyor first undertook an external inspection in order to assess any issues that could lead to moisture entering the premises. The existence of moisture in a building twinned with a lack of ventilation can lead to issues such as wet and dry rot, and can damage both decorative and structural timbers. The surveyor found no evidence of an existing damp proof course in the external walls, along with the external ground level varying in height - meaning in some areas the ground was higher than the internal floor level - which can lead to lateral penetrating damp. Further issues included spalling to brickwork, causing it to be porous, along with areas where the mortar joints were in a poor condition leaving the building susceptible to rainwater penetration

Existing gutters, hoppers and downpipes were noted to be in a poor condition and in some areas blocked, meaning when there was substantial rainfall these would overflow causing water ingress into the building, placing internal timbers at risk of fungal decay and causing a breakdown to internal plaster and decorations.

Despite the prime location in the middle of the Nottingham city centre, the building had been left derelict for many years and as a result internally it was in a poor condition. A thorough survey was carried out across the large premises, from the basement up to the roof voids.

In the basement, there was evidence of moisture ingress which could lead to issues to adjacent decorative and structural timber such as wet and dry rot, and woodworm infestations. There was also evidence of penetrating damp, evidenced by the plaster deterioration due to groundwater salt contamination. As noted from the external inspection, with the walls being partly below ground levels, ground water was able to migrate through the masonry and into the plaster, causing damage to occur.. The best option to prevent lateral penetrating damp where ground levels cannot be lowered is to use waterproofing tanking to create a moisture barrier.

The local Peter Cox branch covering Nottingham can provide various forms of waterproofing solutions

Further evidence of penetrating damp was found on the vaulted ceiling which would also need to be damp proofed to prevent moisture ingress and create a usable space.
Throughout the ground floor buildings, where the walls were above the external ground level, there was evidence of rising damp to areas due to a lack of a damp proof course. The installation of a chemical barrier damp proof course will control the moisture rising through the wall, which carries the soluble salts that can cause damage. Once the damp proof course has been installed the affected areas can then be plastered with a salt retardant system to prevent salt migration through and into the new plasterwork.

Rising dampness can occur in historic buildings across Nottingham without the existence of a damp proof course, and most masonry building materials can be affected by rising dampness to varying degrees. Problems include salty mineral deposits from hygroscopic salts found in groundwater, damaged decorative surfaces and plaster deterioration.

Dry rot was discovered throughout the premises as a result of the building's defects, affecting structural timber such as window sills and frames, timber panelling and ceiling timbers. Dry Rot is able to grow through bricks, mortar and plaster with its strands capable of spreading the fungus to dry timbers therefore immediate treatment is highly recommended. A mixture of poor ventilation and a source of moisture had allowed Dry Rot spores to germinate, grow and travel throughout the fabric of the building with varying degrees of damage. These sections of damaged timbers would need to be removed and cut back to sound timber along with all adjacent timbers cut back at least 300mm from the last visible point of attack with a fungicide applied to cut ends and at risk areas. In addition,there were also isolated areas of Wet Rot, which unlike dry rot is isolated to the source of moisture, and does not spread searching for more timber to consume. Removal and replacement of the affected timbers is recommended but usually to a much lesser extent.

The local surveyor who conducted the survey on the Nottingham property said “Due to the size of the building it took a thorough survey, including exposure works, to find the sources of moisture and the effects of the Dry Rot outbreak. Peter Cox are of course able to treat this problem and leave the building ready for regeneration works, with all work backed by our long term guarantees. If you do have any damp issues or a Wet or Dry Rot problem in the Nottinghamshire area, from a private home to a large premises such as this, Peter Cox can provide you with a tailored solution.

While this dry rot survey was for a commercial property, Peter Cox can perform dry rot surveys in any property. From peoples home's to businesses to historic buildings, Peter Cox offer dry rot treatment from our local branches all over the UK.

Peter Cox also offer damp proofing, woodworm, waterproofing and timber repair services all backed up with long-term guarantees. If you would like one of our experts to visit your proerty then give us a call today click the button below to book a survey online.