THE TRUTH ABOUT WOOD ROT (You need to watch this!!)
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Don't get fooled by contractors! Wood rot is the most misunderstood concept in home improvement. Many homeowners fall victim to wood rot scams and bad building science. This video from The Honest Carpenter will explain the TRUTH ABOUT WOOD ROT!
If you have questions about your home, book a consultation with us at The Honest Carpenter Website. Our trade experts can answer your most important home-related questions:
www.thehonestcarpenter.com
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Be sure to check out our the other Wood Rot Repair videos:
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How To Repair Rotted Door Jambs:
• How To Repair Rotted D...
Fix Rotted Door Frame (Brick Mold):
• Fix Rotted Door Frame ...
How To Replace Deck Handrails:
• How To Replace Deck Ha...
Most homeowners can't identify wood rot. This is a serious issue, because it means that they are reliant on contractors to identify wood rot for them! While many contractors are honest and hardworking, BAD CONTRACTORS can use this lack of information to their advantage, selling unnecessary wood rot repairs and pumping up bids.
Homeowners need to understand 3 things:
1) Where wood rot comes from.
2) How it spreads.
3) What it looks like.
Here's a guid to doing just that!
THE TRUTH ABOUT WOOD ROT (HOW-TO):
Wood rot is caused by fungal infestation.
The fungi that cause rot need certain levels of temperature and moisture to exist (50-90 degrees farenheit; 25-30% moisture content in wood).
WITHOUT WATER, FUNGUS CAN'T GROW!
The fungi that infest our homes must have water in order to cause wood rot. Therefore, cutting off the water source that has initiated rot, and letting the area dry out, will prevent the spread of rot.
DRY ROT is an erroneous term. Most experts now call dry rot "BROWN ROT."
BROWN ROT is caused by the fungus Serpula lacrymans. This fungus breaks down wood fiber, leaving it weak and brittle. When a rotted area dries out, it has a desiccated appearance, which probably led to widespread usage of the term "dry rot."
BROWN ROT CANNOT SPREAD WITHOUT A WATER SOURCE!
Bad contractors will tell clients that "dry rot" will continue spreading throughout the house no matter what. BUT THIS IS WRONG!
The priority in every wood rot repair should be determining how water or moisture entered the area. This water source should be eliminated, then wood rot repairs can proceed.
HOW TO IDENTIFY WOOD ROT:
Wood rot is often visible. Search for very dark areas, or dark staining in wood. Also look for areas that seem collapsed, or possibly even bloated.
If you can't tell if an area is rotted visually, try these two tests:
1) THE POKE TEST: Just poke the area with your finger, or possibly a small screwdriver or knife. If it is soft to the touch, rot may be forming. If a tool sinks in more than 1/8", wood rot may be forming.
2) THE PICK TEST: Dig an awl or knife into the wood grain, and break out a piece. Healthy wood will produce a long, linear splinter, accompanied by a snapping, cracking sound. Rotted wood will come out in little crumbles or clumps, and make a rustling sound.
Some areas SEEM rotted, but actually aren't. In the video I call this FAKE ROT.
The most common source of "fake rot" is peeling paint. UV sun rays and heat can often bake paint and caulk off of a house, causing the surface to look decayed. But testing the wood will reveal that it is healthy. These areas may not need any repair--just re-caulking and painting!
If you enjoyed the video, please consider SUBSCRIBING.
Be sure to visit us at The Honest Carpenter website:
www.thehonestcarpenter.com
(Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill, Apex, Cary, Wake Forest--North Carolina)
Thanks for watching!! - แนวปฏิบัติและการใช้ชีวิต
I run a termite and moisture repair company, and must say this dude actual knows what he's talking about. I will show his videos to my new inspectors. Nice work
Who wants their termites repaired?
@@ianmoon1103
Sounds like fun.
I love this video it was so very informative!! I'm dealing with a lot of rotten paneling in my new place. The thing is it sits straight on concrete and there's a lot of moisture in the area that I live!! So now I know more than I did before watching this video! Thank you so very much for helping us that are not well informed and amateurs in doing some home improvements!
@@ianmoon1103 I do,
They invaded my room 😩😩😩 the wings are just everywhere, really disgusting🤮
@@tolulopeafolabi6526 YES! Those nasty ass wings. I'm doing a spot treatment, hope I don't have to tent!!
I gotta say, it’s refreshing as a home inspector to see such straight forward information out there. I have been struggling to help my clients understand why they shouldn’t cancel a transaction over some wood rot in places like the exterior trim. I just found your channel and I’ll have this video URL in my inspection reports when rot is mentioned. So much good information.
Not only that but I’ll now have to pull myself out of the bad habit of using the term “dry rot.” Thanks for the correction!
As a single woman and home owner every man has tried to rip me off from repairs. Thank you for this video. I have since been doing DIY. The projects I can not do I arm myself with as much knowledge as possible to prevent these creatures from stealing my money. Be well.
you should make videos! i’m the daughter of a single mom and i want to help her do diy but not sure where to even start with a lot of this
@@RubyParrotGirl as a female new home owner with a partner who is brainy but not at all into DIY there are a couple of things I can share about getting started:
- It is often overwhelming in the beginning, as there are a lot of things to learn. Start with one or two things, take your time and Internet is your best friend.
- Try to understand what you are looking at, use multiple sources of information and derive from that what works in your situation. Again this takes time.
- Try and see if you can find people to discuss this with. Maybe they have a hidden talent or recently hired a craftsman that did a great job.
- In some countries libraries, hardware stores or community centres have courses geared towards women. See if you have access to something like that.
For me personally TH-cam has been an invaluable source of information. It has helped me successfully wallpaper a wall, prevented me buying expensive equipment that actually wasn't right for the job and has shown me that even with minimal tools available you can tackle bigger projects.
Yeah, that happened to me recently when I was trying to hire someone to clear the pine needles off of my roof. The guy tried to charge me $250 and when I told him that was too much he tried to haggle with me. And would not freaking leave.
@@RubyParrotGirl I know this thread is rather old, but for you or anyone else out there looking for basic beginner DIY, check out seejanedrill here on TH-cam. I have no affiliation with her except that I subscribe to her channel. She is a wonderful teacher of DIY projects that every homeowner should know. Not that she only tackles beginner projects. She tackles ANY project around the house and explains it in a way that anyone can grasp. Hope this helps.
Our story is one in the same. I will not be had by another unscrupulous "Contractor"
Educated homeowners rarely get burned, so providing this information may save some homeowners from being cheated. And even after 40+ years of doing remodeling work and still loving it, I learned a thing or two from the vid. Thanks for taking the time to put this together.
We need more on honest people like yourself sir , thank you.
Great info. I already had a contractor come estimate a whole new siding! Thanks
Agree
THANK GOD there are people like you on here... Not everyone can afford to deal with home repair or are educated enough to make sure they aren't ripped off!!! THANK YOU
Carpenter here who started my construction journey running a small painting company. A painter is often the first person to catch or be called to rotting areas of a home. Everything in this vid is spot on. Incredibly informative and shall we saw, honest. Damn honest. Well done
Yes. I used to do exterior repairs for a friend who ran a painting business with several crews. Started as a favor because they always struggled to get carpenters/builders to do what are relatively small jobs at short notice, but turned out it paid very well because of that so I kept at it. Seeing the same things over and over and again, with rot appearing in exactly the same places, I learned a huge amount about exterior cladding, flashing and the whats and whys of rot. Nowadays I can glance at a style of house or building and can tell not only exactly where there will be issues, but also whether the issues that may look serious aren't really.
To bad 90% of painters suck as carpenters , most painters can't even read a tape measure .
What’s the best way to address ‘brown rot’ in wooden window sashes- it is now dry as exposed to full sun as had the huge tree’s removed that were too close to house cut down as kept moisture and shade on wood constantly.
I’ve had builders say ‘oh dry rot so they ‘say’ they have to replace entire 2 metre wooden window fixture. The dry rot is only in one small area of sill. Any suggestions for fix - I thought it was a bit dramatic to have to replace ‘entire’ windows frame when 95% is in excellent condition. Any advice most welcome 🙏
@@louiselowe1568 If it's just dry rotted as in " rough looking " lightly sand the area " and seal it with two coats of shellac before painting it .
If it's slightly deteriorated and crumbling scrape and dig out the loose rott and use a wood filler such as " Durhams Rock Hard Wood Putty " sand the putty , then prime and paint the area . Also this putty dries very hard and it's a pain to sand so spread it as evenly and smoothly as possible
Window sashes that are rotted and repaired with putty is a temporary fix when a window sash is rotted . Unless it's a pre-1940 home where sashes are repairable as they used to make things that were repairable back in the day . If its a modern window , it's junk if thats makes any sense .
Good luck .
First, I am a professional engineer who is considered an expert on building defects. Second, this video is spot on and well done. The only suggestion I would make is for the HC to address the difference between brown rot and white rot and also how to determine the difference between brown rot and termite damage.
Keep up the good work!
Yes there is a difference and They can look similar and I love you for bringing up that subject!! Been there toOooo, thank God not here
I may have missed it, but did he mention ways to treat would so that it doesn't rot in a moist climate/air? living about a mile from the beach there is a lot of moisture in the air. Thank you if you have any ideas. I have to replace my porch because of this... and hope to not have to do this again later on!
What is the difference? We had to twice replace in only 4 years the floor and floor joists in my mom’s house in La because of the white mold rot. The odor from the rot as the demo was being done was horrible and got me sick.
@Aarav Alan i really appreciate your reply. I got to the site through google and I'm waiting for the hacking stuff atm.
Seems to take quite some time so I will reply here later when my account password hopefully is recovered.
@Aarav Alan it did the trick and I finally got access to my account again. I'm so happy:D
Thank you so much you saved my ass :D
Thanks for making this video, I appreciate tradesmen like you who educate homeowners.
I've been doing home repair for only 40 years, so what do I know. This guy is spot on.
Thank you, Eric!
Doing the job right is a pay check you can take to the grave
Pressure treated,pressure treated,pressure treated,,where ever you can put it,especially your sills and first floor,floor joists,framing around your windows and doors and soffits and facias,,will save you a lot of money down the road,,stay away from particle board (garbage,it’s a sponge),,floating floors ,fast and looks great (garbage),cardboard,,do not plastic or poly inside frame,even if the engineers say so,,it will collect gallons of water,(fact),,lay your insulation bats in walls without vaperbarrier paper,plastic or tin foil,,( paper is always moldy in old house remodel,plastic and foil collects moisture and end up on the sills and rots it,,,the paint on your drywall is a vapor barrier,caulk your windows more often (saves a lot of money)if you paint your roof every three or so years (water paint,any color)you’ll never need to reroof (except for storm damage),,hand nails (galvanized(on framing)will outlast gun nails and screws ,and a hell of a lot easier to remove when replacing or if you screw up,,spray foam is a sponge,buy the good stuff ,,your spending enough,put in the good stuff
Bob Le Clair .
I’ve found that the end grain that isn’t allowed to breathe like miters or tight butt joints wick up the water and rot begins there
Always good to educate your customers of the reasons they are getting wood rot in areas and not just replace it without explanation. Good stuff young Sir!
I appreciate the informative content here. My father basically said the same thing about 'dry rot'... "it is wet rot, that has dried." He's still kicking but not in the business anymore.
Well done!! Knowledge is everything in our trade. Clearly you’ve demonstrated just that! Too many so- called ( self acclaimed) repair experts haven’t a clue what their talking about. Thanks for posting a knowledgeable and well done video!
Very well done video, this should be a recommended watch for every first time home buyer. Enjoy this very nice Saturday!
Thank you, Bryan! I appreciate the feedback 😀
Home Inspector approved video! And thank you for addressing bad contractors. I’m always concerned for my clients being scammed by someone.
This is the video I needed as a first time home owner. Thank you
Thank you so much, this video just made me more confident for when we have to have someone come to fix our roof soon. Much appreciated! Honesty is the best policy, that is for sure and best for any builders or trades person reputation !!
Thank you Ethan James! People should know how easy it is to identify rot and you have given a valuable lesson.
You get an A+ for this video. I have been a homeowner since 1994 and each of my five houses have been fixers, so I have learned a thing or two. I am in the process of repairing exterior window framing and sills on my current (74 yo_ house. I might have gone for a contractor and the inevitable tear out and wood replacement, but in this crazed housing market (July 2021) no handyman or contractor is available. So its me and my tools and wood preservative and scrap wood (to reconstruct trim) and Bondo and primer and paint.
Bravo. Your my kind of person. Use what you have, restore if possible, then only what is necessary.
I like his word choices and approach to explaining this topic. I think many people benefit from watching this; even pros can pick up a tip or two for how to explain this or refer a client to watch this. Keep up the good work. :)
This is a good informative video. For anybody who might be interested in such things, the reason paint cracks and chips off of a house is because of uneven drying. Think of a coat of paint as having two sides, the side you don't see is touching the house and the second side is what you see. That side that you see is exposed to direct sunlight and the oils in the paint are drying out more rapidly on that side while the oils on the other side are drying slower. This causes the paint to shrink on that exposed side which causes cracks and eventual cupping of the paint which in turn pulls the paint up off of the house anywhere there is a crack. Latex paints, commonly called water-based paints, are more flexible and they are able to stretch to accommodate for this shrinking of one side of the paint so they are way less prone to crack and peel. So now you know.
Very good instructions on locating problematic spots for yourself. What I know of dry rot comes from the auto industry or aka weather check. This is when the UV rays deteriorate the rubber of tires. Usually the side walls as they are more prone to the sun's rays than the tread that gets more shade under the fenders.
Thanks for another great video!
Thanks for that precision on the definition of dry rot. Fungi are crazy cool when they aren't trying to eat your house. Don't forget the damage that carptenter bees and ants can do, along with termites. Again, water/moisture is a big draw for these organisms, and needs to be dealt with if you are planning on keeping your wood sound for years to come.
Listening to good advice from a good guy reaffirms my faith in humanity.
OMG!!!!!!!!! Thank you!!!!!! i just had an HOA handyman rip out all the drywall (walls, ceilings, everything) claiming that I had mold on the wood in my condominium from a flood. Then, I put 2 and 2 together. the studs had a little green on them from the original build (where lumber was stacked a little wet 30 years ago) . Although, the HOA took a huge hit monetarly on this one, at least it opened my eyes, and now, thank you, that guy would have ripped my whole place down, using scare tactics, that...woow!! I wouldn't have known. Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Your HOA worked on your interior and covered the cost?! Wow
yes you know they are lying when they scare you and tell you the mold will spread and kill you
I wouldn’t mess around with mold or any moisture damaged drywall. Super bad for your health. I would be grateful for all the drywall replacement.
Excellent
Just found a bunch under my front porch when I went to change the facia boards.......low and behold much more damage underneath- this was perfect for my current issue
Just found your channel. I'm a DIY'er and by no means a master carpenter, electrician or plumber. I have banged nails and worked under homebuilders as a part time job paying my way through school (high school and college.....we were very poor...ha) and I loved it. Unfortunately I just did what the boss told me and he never had time to explain or teach which I would have soaked in. His company was him, his partner, me and anyone else he could get. It was small. Thanks to him, the brick plant I worked at and the other places I worked for, I made it and now years later, I prepared to retire after putting my child through college. I say this because I owe so much to that job that was there for me every hour during the day I could work. And again I loved it and have so much respect for people like you that have those skills. I was in upper management after college and earlier in my career I'd do executive hiring. I could care less about degrees or credentials. What I cared about was if they ever really worked. One of the questions I'd ask of Master degreed applicants are one: Do you know how to cook Ramen noodles with only what you could get from the packets in a restaurant (Working man knows how to make do) and two: have they ever worked on a construction job/home remodel. Yes to the first one would give them a heads up on the other applicants. Yes to both would mean an immediate hire. It's never let me down.
I have remodeled my house 5 times over the years (I'm 65 now). From buying a beautiful house that I fully remodeled when we bought it (by myself as I would do one room at a time. Then when the wife would want a change. Remember this was over a life time and there was no Google or Facebook when I started. I'd get a professional when I needed it and fortunate to have great carpenters and such here in rural Oklahoma.
It would have been such a Godsend to have had your channel when I did all that work. I mean every thing from crown molding to gutting two bathrooms and installing a jacuzzi tub. I've just found your channel and have been watching them back to back this morning and have to stop to go to church.
I hope people understand how great it is to trust a how to channel. This is the best I've found. All young men and women should have this channel saved. It will make their lives so much easier and they will learn the joy of working with wood etc.
Just wanted to comment and sorry for the long post but I think this is so important.
Heh, Honest Carpenter: your honesty (and your excellent and thorough yet concise presentation) just earned you a new subscriber!!
I've been a contractor for many years. Glad I'm doing research before making a rot repair. I didn't know fungus was the cause of rot. Great vid. Thank you.
I don't understand why there are so many more thumbs down than thumbs up on this. As Steve Hodge pointed out, this is terrific information for homeowners. I knew most of this and was searching for a video on a good product to reinforce the wood instead of replacing it when it's just a small amount and the source of water has been eliminated. However, I just want to say that even I searched it with the term "Dry Rot". LOL I need to change my vernacular because you are so right. I just always assumed it was called that because like you said, once the source of water is gone, the wood looks dry and rotten. But great video! I love videos that help us homeowners avoid scammers. Thank you!
Great video. I found crumbling wood around exterior window trim and it was from termites. Now I see it is clearly wood rot, so I won't need to call a bug guy and I can just replace the boards myself. Thanks
Ethan, you are clear and concise in your delivery... Not forgetting truly helpful information. Thank you for your channel.
Thanks a great, straight forward introduction into what to look out for. The only things I'd add are - paying particular attention to endgrain, as this is where the moisture rot loves, can be easily sucked up; and a moisture meter can be another useful tool in determining the possible extent of the damage.
Thanks O kafka! Good call. I failed to mention the end grain. But in my last video we covered the moisture meters and also humidity levels that can cause rot 🙂
Thank you for doing this video. I hope a lot more people watch videos like this because the ratio of good to bad contractors are weighing very heavily towards the bad😢. Thank a lot. Keep up the good work 👍🏻
Thanks Tony. I hope the balance doesn't shift too far over. But I'm afraid you're right--I run into a lot of disconcerting work these days :(
I completely understand and what we have to do as contractors is remove the *"bad wood" and replace it with "good wood". I'm a commercial waterproofer and thank you for the information home owners need to know. We do historic building restoration in S.E. MI. and explain & repair this issue every day. Excellent explanation of a very common problem, but identify and deal with the water inundation source first, then see above* J.
Well, yeah. Makes no sense to just go over it.
I'm asked to inspect and repair lots of "rot" I do these same types of tests. I take time to explain to my customers what is happening and show them "rot" and failed paint and the like. I see my role as part educator part repairman. This video is excellent and I will be adding a link to it on my website so my customers can become better informed. Thank you!!!
Very well done & explained. I've had contractors do that to me regarding "it all needs replaced." 99% of the time it's been to bloat the bill. When the tone of voice goes up and they start getting dramatic I know what they are saying isn't needed, this is their sales style, they just want more money and I politely show them out.
I have a huge picture type window that was put in by a previous owner who would use the discards of his remodeling clients (so it's not great). The wood on the bottom of the outside sill is heavily cracked but solid to the stab/poke. The paint bakes off about every 2-3 years. I try to paint it the peak of the dry/hot season so I'm not sealing in water. Should I start to caulk those cracks up before I paint? It's big enough that it's exspensive to replace. Like new small car exspensive. Oh & he didn't put in a header on that window so when I replace that window I have to open/reframe the entire wall so it'll one of those "special projects". we don't use that space as a living/daily use area as it's uncomfortable so it's not urgent compared to our living spaces.
I'm so happy TH-cam suggested your page. I was single and every time I would call for a quote(for EVERYTHING), the guys would either try to talk to me or over charge me while being dishonest. Thank you so much for your help. You're truly a gem. ❤️
Thanks for subscribing, Leigh! I’m really glad the vids help 🙂
Probably because you didn't know what you were talking about
Thank you for the straight forward honest information. Too many people are frightened into unnecessary costly repairs. Again thank you.
Wow thanks for saving home owners from all those horrible contractors, you're the only honest one
Just did some repairs around my rear door frame and I was so worried that the rot might spread even after repair and taking away the moisture..now I know that can't happen! Thank you Brother!
Thank you for this video! Makes me feel comfortable working on my house.
You’re welcome, Daniel! I really glad it was helpful. Good luck with your projects, and be safe
Possibly the most useful video I have ever watched. Thanks for putting wood rot into perspective👍
This is VERY helpful. Thank you. I just bought a wooden cabin in the mountains. There are lots of areas I have questions about. I will be much better informed now about repairs.
Thank you for taking the time to save people from getting ripped off!
Really excellent video. I’m a lot more comfortable with my observations and plans to address issues that I have and may arise in the future. Thank you!
As an adjuster, I’m glad you brought this up, definitely hard work to make this video and I greatly appreciate it!
Thank you for this. In my house, when I got it 2 years ago, clearly had not been maintained in decades. Deck boards butt against wood lap siding, rain and snow accumulate, decades. Concrete driveway against the house, sank decades ago, exposing the band joist to the elements. The carpenter for the concrete company, and the siding installer, both standup guys (my impression, I'm sticking to it), cared way less than I do. So, your video here and their lack of concern (those areas are now very well protected from the elements) has been helpful.
Great video! It is the first one of yours I've watched. And I am quite impressed. I've worked in real estate and Contracting off and on and it is always dazzled me how little the average homeowner knows about maintenance. I've had people request that I remove a lot of material because of small amounts of rock and had to explain to them that as long as you remove the structurally damaged areas and keep it dry it's not really that major an issue. Somebody else probably would have just let them spend 10000 and enjoyed the bonus.
A particular favorite of mine is to use a copper treating compound in areas that are prone to moisture infiltration. Of course this is not a substitute for proper flashing and protection - but copper is been used in the Marine industry for a long time because it inhibits fungal growth. So it's just a little extra protection if something gets past the waterproof barrier.
Thanks Jarod! You’re totally right about the crazy overbidding that’s goes on. My clients sometimes look at me like I’m crazy when I tell them “nah, that old rot is probably no big deal.” They’re just so used to getting worked up by contractors. And thanks for the copper fluid tip! I’m going to do a full video on wood treatment methods soon. I appreciate you writing in!
Here in my country part of the fundamentals of the building code for the control of water and moisture in building elements are based on the 4 D's - Deflection, Drainage, Dehydration, Durability. Each of the steps are redundancies for when the preceding step fails Eg in an exterior wall: Flashing > Cavity drainage > Cavity venting > Wood treatment. That final step is huge.
Oh we are also one of the world leaders in the industry of pressure treating with CCA (Chromated Copper Arsenate). Treated radiata pine is THE main construction method.
Thank you! I just discovered wood rot on the bottom of the exterior wall under the siding; I now know what's going on.
A truly outstanding video. If I could give 5 stars, I wouldn't hesitate. Great info.
As usual, this is a short, to-the-point, and USEFUL video on an important topic. Thanks!
Im an HVAC tech and electrician. In opened a business doing home repair. I'm more busy than ever!!! I love it!!
I learned residential construction from L.A. Trade Tech. They didn't teach this in class. Thanks for sharing. Just subbed.
That’s great to hear @bigbopete. Thanks for watching! I hope you’re getting good work out there 🙂
I’m currently on a MISSION to learn as much as I can about DIY- home repairs, basic maintenance, learning basics about each trade, etc… I don’t own a home yet, but I want to be prepared when I do.
This is such a COOL video… I’ve always known about “wood rot,” but I learned a TO. Watching this. Thanks man! 👏🏻
CONGRATS! A truly honest and professional carpenter. GREAT CHANNEL!
You definitely live up to your name: The Honest Carpenter.
Another great video. One other thing to mention is that the fungi are not invasive. They are already present in all wood, (even kiln dried lumber) and only take over when the dead tissue is subjected to moisture (as you noted).
Great video! You have saved me lots of money and from getting ripped off. Thank you!!!!
Thanks for a great introduction to wood rot for beginners who don't have the level of understanding as you. Wood that is very dry, but rotten and crumbling apart, could be termed as "Dry Rot". But I feel that any areas of dry rot will quickly spread, and this is due to the lost density of the wood, and thus, the rotten wood will draw-in 10X more moisture - due to capillary attraction! Wood that is dry - but rotten acts like a Blotting Paper at the first opportunity of getting a soaking! I am one of the thousands of people that have sub-floor rot problems in wet areas of my home. I will never understand why the Home Builder did not drape PVC sheeting along the whole run of Structural Parts of the Sub Floor Timber, between Joists and Bearers, at the time of Home Construction. Any water leaking through the Bathroom or Laundry floor would simply run-off into the earth below. Floor timbers would then always remain dry. Like an underfloor "Umbrella" for all of your floor timbers.
You're one of the best Subs I've made on YT. SO much education. SO much skill acquired. SO much money saved. Quality of life level stuff. Thanks.
Thank you Karen!
Great content and accurate information. I am a contractor and agree with simply everything you have stated. It is almost funny how most home owners expect the scope of work to require extensive wood replacement when WOOD ROT is present. Structural compromises must be resolved. Visuals are elective. Again Great information.
Thank you Benjamin! I couldn’t agree more. Always happy to hear from contractors like yourself 🙂
Great video! This really helped me confirm my suspicions about some wood rot I have. Thank you for your great explanations! Keep up the great work of helping others!
This was one of the most helpful videos I’ve watched lately. Thank you for your honesty and tips. 🙂
Thank you, Jodi! 🙂
Dear Home Carpenter,
This was an absolutely EXCELLENT video.
Good job young man! Keep up the good work.
Stay safe and have a blessed day.
Sincerely,
Mrs. Kathryn S.
Thank you Mrs. Kathryn! I’m really glad it was helpful 🙂
That actually was pretty useful, I'm glad I watched.
Brilliant!!! Helpful and generous with advice! Subscribed! I had the same problem and everyone tried to con me during lockdown when I was struggling financially! Forced me to do all my own stuff now and your video has been excellent help!
Very good video a lot of people need to see. My drain shoot was full of clay and grass and Before that the wooden facia beside the shoot was rotten but When I cleared the drain shoot I realised it was because the water couldn't run along and down the drain pipe so it obviously was spilling onto the wooden facia. I also had sever dampness on my walls upstairs so I got the higher shoots cleaned out. Now I think I will be in a better situation to scrub the dampness of the walls and leave for a couple of weeks so I can see if it is appearing again and scrub the walls again if needed and I have dampness spray for the walls when I'm sure they are ready and then I can paint them you gave me great ideas on identifying rot and also knowing if it is paint crumbling but wood I'd perfect. You gave a great lesson especially for ordinary house holders you are right most but not all contractors will try to make money unnecessarily out of innocent people thanks a million for your great knowledgeable video stay safe and keep smiling
thank you so much for the simple direct explanation of 'dry rot'!
Thank you so very much for taking the time to share this information.
You’re welcome! Thank you for the support 🙂
Very good to know. And has drastically reduced my worry level. Thanks! 👍👍👍
How about that. I have learnt something really useful today. Thank U. I saw this "dry rot' in my laundry and I thought it was termite damage. I can now proceed to repair the affected wall timber framing which are affected. There is not too much rot so I am going to repair it by myself. I am 80 years old and find it hard to get decent and honest contractor for all the repair jobs around my home. I now learn through watching fantastic videos produced by kind and genuine people. Thanks a bunch. From Queensland, Australia.
I love it! Truth at last. Pro painter here...yup! ~9:00 Paint failure, likely due to sun and lack of maintenance. Remove spalled paint (lead based, RRP required...), sand back to clean surface, and it's done. Sending an owner off on a 'mold chase' wastes their dollars - those dollars are needed to do what I just recommended and what you called out. Sad that so many people are so gullible today. Good vid!
Thank you, Mike! I really appreciate the pro advice there. So much confusion on this topic--every little bit of good advice helps 🙂
Looked like lead paint to me too ... what a job that will be
Thank you! I just received an enormous estimate for a few rows of ratty shingles and was told they are "rotted and need to be replaced" ... Tomorrow morning I'm performing all of your tests, and if they're not rotten I'll owe you an even bigger thank you!
These shingles bake in southern exposure all day, every day, but they look horrible because the paint is peeling and flaking. I can't wait to stick a screwdriver in them, I bet they're just fine and only need a good scraping and painting. You are a treasure, I love you!
Thank you, Penelope! Good luck with the project. I'm interested to hear the state of them :)
Penelope Maynard so what happened, it went trough didn’t it. 😲
We need an update,!
I just learned so much...thanks for your honesty and helping us avoid dishonest carpenters
Bravo. Great video. Thank you for the informative video. I have battled this evil entity a few times in my life. Like termites it can actually eat you out of house and home. It’s like the ‘dry rot’ term describes that it has already passed the ‘problem’ phase. Words are important. Cheers!
Great video. I’ve been in the termite business for over 20 yrs and you’ve nailed it. Especially the part about moisture, I spend so much time educating people about it’s bad nick name “Dry rot” and that it’s from moisture and fungi. Now I got your video for visual aide. Thank you.
Great Vid! Clear, honest, to the point! Thanks!
Hey, thanks so MUCH!!! This video answers all I needed to know to fix some rotted places in my home. I worried the rot could spread even when it was dry. Now I know better. Count be in as a subscriber. :-)
I'm a tile guy and often run into rot in showers, tub enclosures and toilet areas. I was going to comment on the accuracy of this post but see several comments from more knowledgeable tradespeople and engineers. Will definitely share this video with my team!! Thanks for the post!!🤙🏻
Thanks for your explanation of "dry rot". I've wondered about that for years.
I've never heard of this before. We used to call it dry rot because it was dried out and crumbling, but we had always assumed it was water exposure. I've never heard of brown rot. Fascinating.
I love you for this info!! Invaluable and being on a fixed income, I have to be on top of any problems. I love you!
I agree 100%. I have known this for many years thanks to my father's teachings during my early years. Many times rafter tails along the fascia had to be cut treated and sistered due to moisture rot and fungal damage. We would cut out most of the damaged wood and use an antifungal spray, and sister a proper up to code rafter to the existing rafter. Take care of the water penetration point and problem solved. Most times it was an improper drip edge and gutter installation causing the problem. Including improper ventilation to allow moisture to escape or be drawn out, from soffits to vent. Most times it was insulating along the birds mouth with no air flow venting or not enough vents in the roof to properly ventilate. Trapping moisture on the low points. Many other contractors would tell them it was a dry rot issue after getting other quotes. Trying to inform the customer was not easy when 3 other company quotes tell them dry rot, and we say moisture fungus problem including poor ventilation.
In the end I suppose we had better customer relations and spent more time explaining the cause and potential issues, because we did receive 80% of our quotes. In most cases we were not the highest or lowest quote we were in the mid range. Some cases it was very low due to less work and materials to finish properly. Saving the customer thousands.
In the end, have the knowledge take the time to explain reasonings with the customer. Most importantly be honest. Word of mouth travels much faster than any advertising in a short period of time if the problem was solved properly.
Ps. Sorry for the long comment. This is not easy to explain without details for your DIY followers my friend. Thanks for this informative video I liked and subscribed.
Awesome video!!! thanks for explaining everything in detail. I know more about the problem I am facing now. AGAIN THANK YOU.
I would like to see how to repair the common problems areas and just general carpentry repair for wood rot. Thanks !! Keep up the good work !!!
He has a couple of videos on his site which show the repair process.
That was a good video. I live in CO where it is pretty dry and we get lots of sun. However I always make to do a good job of using flex caulk in cracks in the exterior and especially where the house meets and concrete surface that might wick water up from it. People need to reseal the wood before it starts to rot.
It’s a good thing you’re the “honest” carpenter!
Great info. My dad was a housepainter & handyman for years. He always said rot equals rotten and that’s how you recognize it if the wood looks rotten it is.
Good video. Well explained. You showed the problems very clearly. Thank you :)
@Peter McGill Thank you! I really appreciate the positive feedback :)
Thanks for clearing things up. I've always found the term "dry rot" confusing too.
@EJ Wu You're welcome! I'm glad it was helpful 🙂
It is wet rot that has dried out. Very common to check for rot in the warmer months when repair projects are done. I have a sill plate that was subjected to intrusive moisture then it became soggy. In the winter the area would freeze and further damage the sill due to rupturing. Come summer, the whole area was dry as a desert and the wood turned to dust. As in the video, the only thing holding the crumbled wood together was heavy paint.
@@cynthiamoon372 Dry rot is not Wet rot that has dried, they are different fungi. You start getting dry rot at 20% water content whilst wet rot needs a lot more water. Air dried timber will get down to about 15%. Wet rot is easier to treat, once you have removed the water source, as it does not spread through the timber much.Dry rot can spread through the timber and transport water a yard from the source. After you have removed the water source you need to investigate and treat with preservatives over a larger area.
Thank you. A very exotic subject that people would not normally make a youtube video about.
Starting to do home DYI and it's nice to have a trusty and trustworthy site as my go-to! Thank you!
During an inspection, you can also take the back of the screw driver handle or very small trim hammer and tap on a suspect area. You will notice more of a “thud” sound relative to surrounding healthy wood if the wood beneath the surface is rotting.
Thanks for this video. Very informative. The "dry rot" scam has always sounded fishy to me.
Right on dude. Great vid. I knew all this but only cause I do what you do for a living. And, by the way, it took me DECADES to learn!
I can’t say how much this information is needed.
Nice work. 👊🏻✌🏻😎
This is the best video on TH-cam regarding this subject. Excellent work!! 👏👏👍
A few tricks I have l learned by having a cabin in the woods where it wet a lot:
1. Don’t leave snow and leaves on walking surfaces
2. Don’t leave nearby fungus
3. Do annual or regular (every few years depending on conditions) conditioning... paint, urethane, water seal, etc
4. Only do number 3 after clearing all debris and letting the wood dry for a few days
5. Flat aka horizontal surfaces tend to be more prone to having their protection break down.
6. Vertical surfaces tend to have their protection break down right near the ends, particularly the bottom where they might even sit near water
I have watched your videos on replacing wood rot in door jambs and brick mold. So easy to follow that I managed the work in my front door frame and saved myself a ton of money by not having to hire a contractor. Huge thank you! Subbed!
That’s awesome, Paul! Thank you for watching and subscribing 🙂
Very informative! We are in the process of purchasing a home with a small amout of 'dry' rot and now I feel better prepared to tackle the project of repairing/replacing what is needed. Thank you!
Thank you Vanzant! Good luck with the project. If you need more detailed advice, book a consultation with us at: www.thehonestcarpenter.com We do tons of consulting with new homebuyers!
Appreciate it!
Excellent video! I'm steeping-up the poke test from a dental pick to a slot tip screwdriver.