MOISTURE
Effects of Moisture on Timber
Almost all building materials deteriorate over time when they are exposed to moisture. Moisture causes fungal decay and mould in timber and chemicals from corroded metal fixings can also damage timber.
Dry Rot
Conditions:
Spore germination 28 – 30% moisture content
Optimum growth 30 – 40% moisture content
Minimum moisture content for continued growth 20%
Requires high humidity and acidity for establishment
Wet Rot
Conditions
Optimum growth 50 – 60% moisture content
Minimum moisture content for continued growth 30%
High moisture required / sensitive to drying
Tolerant to many preservatives
Soft Rot
Conditions
Prefers high moisture
Moisture Content Readings
Acceptable levels of moisture are generally below 20%; anything above this level can cause damage to building elements over time and may require further investigation. Where moisture levels in excess of 25 – 30% moisture content are recorded, we will generally recommend that an invasive investigation is undertaken to check the structural integrity.
Moisture readings, unless otherwise stated are taken with a non-invasive moisture meter, so they are not the exact moisture readings of the framework.
Moisture Content in Timber
| Types of Rot | Conditions |
| < 18% | Decay is highly unlikely |
| 18 – 30% | Less than fibre saturation point of 30% decay is unusual except for dry rot |
| > 30% | Close to wood saturation – decay is common = |
DryScan has you covered so contact us now for a free quote
DryScan specializes in the folowing areas:
Dryscan Infrared Solutions ®™
- Pre-purchase and pre-sale inspections
- Moisture and leak detection
- Roof inspections
- Heat loss inspections
- Leaky home diagnostics
- Weathertightness reports