Property Renovation and Restoration: 5 Key Treatments that may be Required

For property owners who are geared up for a change in their home or building do not even have an idea of the difference between renovation and restoration. These two words are often a confusing topic for people who have less interest in the building industry. To add to the confusion, you can also use the word “remodel” if you wish to.

But this article is not headed to that direction and sort of enlightenment. It intends to discuss the requirement in building whether one chooses to make renovation or restoration. However, it is vital to know the difference between renovating and restoring once you commence a project. And if you’re ready, our team at Plymouth Builders will assist you what’s best for your property.

Five treatments  involved in building

1. Woodworm

Woodworms love to dwell in any wooden material. Since a structure is built where one of the components is wood or timber, wood-eating larvae under the many species of beetle slowly and surely eat up wood until nothing is left. Woodworms also love to hide and dwell on furniture. What can you do?

Identifying these species early on will protect you from several thousands of pounds on a repair. You need to stop woodworm infestation before the damage done to the structure is impossible to revert. At least you should know how to spot if the wood in your home is affected.

• Oval-shaped holes found on the surface of the wood
• Hollow woods
• Mini-tunnels on the infected timber
• Bore dust
• Crumbling (sand-like texture) wood
• Woodworm larvae
• Eggs
• Live or dead beetle

If you see any of these signs, call a professional right away to treat the wood and get rid of them. Because over time, if the wood is left untreated, woodworm can cause significant damage.

2. Damp proofing

Damp proofing is often confused with waterproofing. By the sense of it, damp proofing is done to protect the surface from moisture intrusion. It is a type of treatment conducted on the wall’s surface to control moisture. When moisture gets into the interior of the surface, dampness problems occur.

Waterproofing keeps away liquid water and moisture, while damp proofing keeps away soil moisture.  Damp proofing is usually an asphalt-based coating sprayed onto the surface wall to keep moisture infiltration. In modern residential construction, damp proofing is not necessarily not required, but it is nevertheless a protective way of treatment before embarking on renovation or restoration, giving the old material somewhat as new as it looks and sounds.

3. Dry rot/timber treatment

Fungi that eats part of the wood, which is the most robust and stiff would decay the wood in no time. Dry rot if a certain fungal species that loves to crawl and increase on dark places with high levels of humidity. It attacks wood beams, floorboards, and joists. You will spend a few thousands of pounds on building repair if dry rot is not eliminated. But before it goes out of hand and finishes all the durable wood in your structure, let it be known that dry rot loves to harbour on damp, dark, warm, and unventilated areas.

Identifying dry rot early

Dry rot initially attacks wood, but if left unchecked, it can also wreak havoc on masonry, which can lead to a more severe problem in the future. To treat the wood, it is necessary to check the source of humidity and level of condensation of water. Unknown to some property owners, the inner walls near the wood beams might have leaky pipes within. Even the slightest leak will collect to the wall membranes, compromising the integrity of your home’s structure. Dry rot, like a fungus, appears like soft cotton wool. The fungus grows and will infect the masonry in your edifice.

How could you get rid of fungus spread? An expert on this kind of offenders is someone you should call. It is essential to seek the help of a professional whether you are dealing with a wet rot or a dry rot. Have the wood check immediately to save your home and your investment.

These simple tips will give you a hand on dry rot prevention:

• Keep your home or room properly ventilated
• Check faulty gutters (leaks from gutters will crawl in the fascia and insulation, damaging the wood structures inside the house)
• Inspect cracked or leaky pipes built within the walls
• Keep a reasonable distance between the healthy wood and the infected wood; remove the infected wood immediately

4. Waterproofing

Waterproofing is the process of preventing water intrusion on an object or structure, whether this is concrete or wood. When construction is waterproof, it maintains its integrity by resisting all kinds of attacks through water on any condition.

There are several reasons why waterproofing is essential to maintain your structure’s integrity. Concrete is a porous material. Moisture can easily infiltrate since the component of cement is highly porous, in fact, the compound, before it hardens, contain water. Through capillaries, water can also infiltrate cracks, joints, structural defects, and poorly designed structure. With waterproofing, it prevents premature deterioration of the internal and external concrete.

5. Wall stabilisation

A poorly laden foundation will compromise the integrity of the whole building. In an industrial or commercial building, all the more it needed to fortify its wall as it holds a bigger and taller structure.

The stability of the wall will dictate how long a building can last. In time, any building will face structural issues that will affect the integrity of other members if the walls bend or crack. The frequent occurrence of wall instability is when it bows down. When this happens, it starts to deteriorate, leaving a weak point for water and moisture intrusion.

If issues on wall stability arise, call a professional builder to inspect your structure; this is to prevent further damage on the walls because the more significant the extent of the damage will force you to have the walls rebuild, which is a more expensive undertaking.

Find us here at Plymouth

Building contractors at Plymouth Builders will ensure a stable structure, including all that have been mentioned here. For maximum stability and protection, call our staff to conduct an inspection. Get to know the different treating methods and wall braces and anchors to keep your building upright and strong against any damage. Call us now for any renovation or restoration project.