Dry Rot

[Mark]

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.

[jim]

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

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.

[Limp Arbor]

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.

[Billy Pilgrim]

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

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!

[Abe]

Wrong approach. You've got to keep your head submerged under water, not the sill. As long as your head is submerged, the no dry rot in the sill.

[SteveB]

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

[ransley]

Obvious troll. Use a humidifier to keep it damp.

[David Nebenzahl]

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

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".

[Mike]

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

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