Timber decay in houses; what a timber surveyor looks for

Qualified timber infestation surveyor Bryan Hindle explains the basics about rot in homes. He covers how it can happen, the causes and some of the different types of rot and the infestations which thrive alongside timber decay. The importance of maintaining good sub-floor ventilation is explained. How white rots and brown rots differ in the way they destroy wood and how that is an aid to identification. A sample of a floor joist attacked by Dry Rot is used in the video, displaying the typical fruiting body and the reasons why cross-grain (cuboidal) cracks happen when brown rots are present. Woodworm is also briefly looked at and he describes why it is never appropriate to treat a wood boring weevil infestation with insecticides. The purpose of the video is to take away some of the fear and anxiety these issues can cause. Those looking for a timber survey should also be reassured about what is actually meant by timber decay in houses. Students of building pathology should also glean some nuggets from Bryan's presentation.