House Raising Brisbane - Fixing Timber Foundations

Usually when some repairs need doing around the house it will be obvious to us but the ‘rising damp’ is an insidious unwelcome visitor that destroys your home from within, from the foundations up. Issues with water leaking through the ceiling, or cracks in the walls, are hard to miss as they are right there in your face.

However, dry rot is a problem that will not show itself until there has been a lot of damage to the property so it is important to conduct regular inspections of the property, especially if you suspect that there may be an issue. Black & White House Raising and Restumping are often called in to raise houses up and out of the rising damp before the house is damaged beyond repair.

The Danger Factor

Similar to rust on a car, if you have rotting wood anywhere on your property, it can spread easily under the surface and affect the structural integrity of your building. Moisture that lingers around an area for too long can cause fungal growth in the wood, which breaks it down, and causes it to rot.

The timber foundations of your house are what keep the whole of the rest of the house standing, so you do not want to allow any rot to get into this area. Once the moisture has been into the wooded areas of your home, the wood becomes a nice soft place for boring insects to lay their eggs. So not only will you have rotting wood, but throw in some boring insects to the mix, to really spoil your day.

Stop Before It Spreads

There are a few different ways that you can tackle the issue of the rising damp in your home. Depending on how far advanced the rotting has become, you may be able to cut out the damaged wood and replace it with sections of new timber, but like any symptom, if the cause has not been identified and removed, the rot will return. Using Boron (Borax) in the area can also be an effective way of slowing the growth of mould and wood rot.

Raise It Up

As many people are finding, one of the most effective ways of dealing with the rising damp is through raising your home up and away from damp areas. Companies such as Black & White House Raising and Restumping are experienced in working with issues with rotting foundations and can advise you about the best option for your property .