Diagnose Wood Rot Siding

Using a screwdriver you can poke underneath the boards.

Diagnose wood rot siding.

Boric acid is a powerful fungicide and can eradicate the rot causing fungi as long as they haven t penetrated more than 1 4 inch 0 64 cm into the wood. Wood beneath the siding begins rotting because of water damage. For wood decay to begin the wood must be saturated with a moisture content over 28. If your home has wood siding examine the siding around and beneath the windows for signs of swelling or discoloration.

If you see signs of paint damage it may be a sign that there is underlying wood rot. How can you tell if your wood siding is rotting. Pay attention to the surface of siding frames exterior doors baseboards flooring and drywall. Sprinkle boric acid across wood that shows signs of dry rot.

If it s soft you re dealing with wet rot. Obviously these vary in severity but if your home has wood siding it s a good idea to check up on it once in a while. Look primarily for warping mildew buildup or insect infestation. If you ve caught an instance of dry rot early enough it can be stopped with boric acid.

Any bubbling blistering cracking or flaking paint should be a warning for you. There is not enough information to pinpoint the source of the problem but the cause of wood decay is always the same wood that gets wet and stays wet for too long at temperatures above 40 f.