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What Weather Conditions Are Destroying Your Wooden Stumps?

If you live in a timber house on wooden stumps, you will want to be sure that everything is in order and that you are having your stumps down below checked regularly for signs of degradation from both weather and boring insects. If it is not checked regularly, you could be in for a nasty surprise, which you won’t be aware of until you start seeing signs of decay up top. One question that we get asked often here at Black and White Houseraising and Restumping is what weather conditions contribute to the degradation of wooden house stumps. Well, we can tell you a few different weather conditions that are not going to do your stumps any favours.

Flooding

Flooding is one weather event that is surely going to cause problems for your stumps. Even if your house is above the flood waters, there’s a good chance that some part of your stumps is going to be exposed to moisture. If the water does not drain away properly, and pools around your stumps, it can cause a lot of damage to your foundations, which may leave your stumps susceptible to becoming food for hungry termites or their cousins. Ensure that all water drains well away from your foundations to prevent turning your stumps into a three course meal.

Strong Winds

Wind and rain together are not going to be a good friend to your stumps, as again, this could cause excess moisture to degrade the strength of your stumps against degradation. But most importantly, strong winds blow everything everywhere, which could cause drain pipes and other important plumbing areas to become loose and start a drip where you cannot see. Over time, and left undiscovered, a small drip can do a lot of damage to wood structures, leaving your wooden stumps exposed to moisture for long periods, and making them a tasty meal for insects.

Warmer Months

When we are talking about insects that like to eat wood, we need to consider when these insects are most on the hunt for food sources. Worker termites are the ones that go out to locate a food source and feed the rest of the family, but the reproductives are the new Kings and Queens in waiting. When their wings are fully developed, during the warmer months, they will swarm away from the current nest and set up a new colony wherever there is a food source. This is why it is important to ensure that you do not have any dead or rotting timber lying around in your garden, as this will attract them.