Best methods of treatment and diy methods.
What does water damaged wood look like.
In some cases wood shavings may appear and wood will be left looking rather splintered.
And unfortunately like kudzu or a spot of rust on a car wood rot can spread far and wide making it especially dangerous to your home s wooden building materials.
What does termite damage look like on wood.
Chaetomium is a mold commonly found in water damaged homes and buildings.
The wood acts like a wick and sucks the water into the cells within the wood.
Learn more about subterranean termites.
Some people also call this pocket rot or dry rot.
Here you can find early signs of termite damage such as mud tunnels the most prevailing feature.
Chaetomium mold is usually found in a damp or leaking roof basement or sink and may be recognizable by its musty odor.
Once the cells are overloaded and can no longer absorb moisture the cells explode and the wood becomes water damaged.
Inspect window frames and doorways.
I add that without an onsite inspection or a physical sample of the light yellow material seen in the flooring gaps i can t say if the material is fungal remains or wood filler perhaps used to fill in.
Outdoor wood piles or timber infested by termites will look like they ve been completely carved and tunneled through.
However unlike major water leaks or broken windows rotting wood can easily escape notice unless you specifically look for it.
The stains on the floor look to me like a mix of wood rot and fungal damage that may have been sanded without repair and even re finished.
Water damage happens to a piece of wood when it s constantly in contact with moisture rain water or the ground.
If you find damaged wood look around for termites which are pale yellow in color and have soft bodies.
Signs of their activity.
Chaetomium has a cotton like texture and usually changes colors from white to grey to brown and eventually to black over time.
Building materials and water don t mix.
Look for damage along the grain of the wood or sections that are missing.
All in all any sign of water damage in your hardwood floors should be addressed immediately to make sure they stay nice and continue to look good in your home.
This is often confused for water damage.
On a wood table water spills wet glasses or vases and hot dishes can leave behind unsightly white marks and rings when the moisture seeps into the finish.
Insulation wood studs plywood sheathing and subflooring can all degrade rot or develop mold when they re repeatedly saturated with water.
Piles of swarmers wings and termite frass are the most evident signs of infestation there.
