Dry Rot
 

I discovered a nasty case of dry rot in the sill that rides on my
foundation. Luckily, it looks like I caught it just in time, the floor
joists are still level and the sill isn't totally shot.

So, I thoroughly wet it down with a garden hose until I have most of the
dry rot washed away. However, I don't really know how to keep it from
coming back, other than by wetting it down every day, which I am loath to
do.

So, how do I keep everything from drying out and rotting again? Can I
install some sort of drip system like gardeners use? What do most people
use to keep their basements damp enough to prevent dry rot?

Thanks in advance for any answers.

Dry Rot
 

On Jul 30, 8:44*am, Mark wrote:
I discovered a nasty case of dry rot in the sill that rides on my
foundation. *Luckily, it looks like I caught it just in time, the floor
joists are still level and the sill isn't totally shot.

So, I thoroughly wet it down with a garden hose until I have most of the
dry rot washed away. *However, I don't really know how to keep it from
coming back, other than by wetting it down every day, which I am loath to
do.

Moisture causes dry rot. Your only adding to the problem by keeping it
wet.


So, how do I keep everything from drying out and rotting again? *Can I
install some sort of drip system like gardeners use? *What do most people
use to keep their basements damp enough to prevent dry rot?

Thanks in advance for any answers.

If the dry rot cause is from an identified source (ie: grade sloping
towards house) and this has been remediated then use a fungicide
spray. A more costly and time consuming process would be to cut out
the cancer and install PT lumber.

Dry Rot
 

On Jul 30, 6:44*am, Mark wrote:
I discovered a nasty case of dry rot in the sill that rides on my
foundation. *Luckily, it looks like I caught it just in time, the floor
joists are still level and the sill isn't totally shot.

So, I thoroughly wet it down with a garden hose until I have most of the
dry rot washed away. *However, I don't really know how to keep it from
coming back, other than by wetting it down every day, which I am loath to
do.

So, how do I keep everything from drying out and rotting again? *Can I
install some sort of drip system like gardeners use? *What do most people
use to keep their basements damp enough to prevent dry rot?

Thanks in advance for any answers.

Best thing to do is seal any windows in your basement so they are
watertight. Then add a valve with a float switch like in a toilet
tank and set it just at the level of your sill. This way your entire
basement can be filled with water and will prevent you foundation from
dry rotting also.

Let us know how this works out.

Dry Rot
 

"jim" wrote in message
...
On Jul 30, 8:44 am, Mark wrote:
I discovered a nasty case of dry rot in the sill that rides on my
foundation. Luckily, it looks like I caught it just in time, the floor
joists are still level and the sill isn't totally shot.

So, I thoroughly wet it down with a garden hose until I have most of the
dry rot washed away. However, I don't really know how to keep it from
coming back, other than by wetting it down every day, which I am loath to
do.

Moisture causes dry rot. Your only adding to the problem by keeping it
wet.


So, how do I keep everything from drying out and rotting again? Can I
install some sort of drip system like gardeners use? What do most people
use to keep their basements damp enough to prevent dry rot?

Thanks in advance for any answers.

If the dry rot cause is from an identified source (ie: grade sloping
towards house) and this has been remediated then use a fungicide
spray. A more costly and time consuming process would be to cut out
the cancer and install PT lumber.

===========================================

troll alert!

Dry Rot
 

Mark wrote:

I discovered a nasty case of dry rot in the sill that rides on my
foundation. Luckily, it looks like I caught it just in time, the
floor joists are still level and the sill isn't totally shot.

So, I thoroughly wet it down with a garden hose until I have most of
the dry rot washed away. However, I don't really know how to keep it
from coming back, other than by wetting it down every day, which I am
loath to do.

So, how do I keep everything from drying out and rotting again? Can
I install some sort of drip system like gardeners use? What do most
people use to keep their basements damp enough to prevent dry rot?

Thanks in advance for any answers.

Keeping it wet will not help. You need to cut out the rotted portion
and replace it with new, pressure-treated wood.

--
Steve Bell
New Life Home Improvement
Arlington, TX

Dry Rot
 

On Jul 30, 5:44*am, Mark wrote:
I discovered a nasty case of dry rot in the sill that rides on my
foundation. *Luckily, it looks like I caught it just in time, the floor
joists are still level and the sill isn't totally shot.

So, I thoroughly wet it down with a garden hose until I have most of the
dry rot washed away. *However, I don't really know how to keep it from
coming back, other than by wetting it down every day, which I am loath to
do.

So, how do I keep everything from drying out and rotting again? *Can I
install some sort of drip system like gardeners use? *What do most people
use to keep their basements damp enough to prevent dry rot?

Thanks in advance for any answers.

Obvious troll. Use a humidifier to keep it damp.

Dry Rot
 

In article ,
Mark wrote:

I discovered a nasty case of dry rot in the sill that rides on my
foundation. Luckily, it looks like I caught it just in time, the floor
joists are still level and the sill isn't totally shot.

So, I thoroughly wet it down with a garden hose until I have most of the
dry rot washed away. However, I don't really know how to keep it from
coming back, other than by wetting it down every day, which I am loath to
do.

So, how do I keep everything from drying out and rotting again? Can I
install some sort of drip system like gardeners use? What do most people
use to keep their basements damp enough to prevent dry rot?

Thanks in advance for any answers.

You're confusing dry rot with crotch rot. For dry rot, fire is
advocated. You need to saturate the sill plate with gasoline, going
around the entire perimeter of the house except for a 12" long section.
Wrap some aluminum foil around the bottom of each stud though, just to
be safe.

Have some new sill plates cut and ready to go. Then light a match, and
start at one side only of the section with no gasoline. The old wood
will burn away, and as it does, you just slip in the new pieces as the
fire progresses.

I watched Bob Vila do this, and it works very well. Please post a link
to some pictures of your own experience with it.

Dry Rot
 

On 7/30/2008 4:25 AM jim spake thus:

On Jul 30, 8:44 am, Mark wrote:
I discovered a nasty case of dry rot in the sill that rides on my
foundation. Luckily, it looks like I caught it just in time, the floor
joists are still level and the sill isn't totally shot.

So, I thoroughly wet it down with a garden hose until I have most of the
dry rot washed away. However, I don't really know how to keep it from
coming back, other than by wetting it down every day, which I am loath to
do.

Moisture causes dry rot. Your only adding to the problem by keeping it
wet.

True that. "Dry rot" should always be in scare quotation marks because
it's a total misnomer. Rot happens when things are wet. What you're
seeing is the dried-out results.

Again: there ain't no such thing as "dry rot".


--
"Wikipedia ... it reminds me ... of dogs barking idiotically through
endless nights. It is so bad that a sort of grandeur creeps into it.
It drags itself out of the dark abyss of pish, and crawls insanely up
the topmost pinnacle of posh. It is rumble and bumble. It is flap and
doodle. It is balder and dash."

- With apologies to H. L. Mencken

Dry Rot
 

"jim" wrote in message
...
On Jul 30, 8:44 am, Mark wrote:
I discovered a nasty case of dry rot in the sill that rides on my
foundation. Luckily, it looks like I caught it just in time, the floor
joists are still level and the sill isn't totally shot.

So, I thoroughly wet it down with a garden hose until I have most of the
dry rot washed away. However, I don't really know how to keep it from
coming back, other than by wetting it down every day, which I am loath to
do.

Moisture causes dry rot. Your only adding to the problem by keeping it
wet.


So, how do I keep everything from drying out and rotting again? Can I
install some sort of drip system like gardeners use? What do most people
use to keep their basements damp enough to prevent dry rot?

Thanks in advance for any answers.

If the dry rot cause is from an identified source (ie: grade sloping
towards house) and this has been remediated then use a fungicide
spray. A more costly and time consuming process would be to cut out
the cancer and install PT lumber.

Try chemo first