Helpful Ways to Prevent Wood Rot

We love wood. Nothing beats the classic, elegant look of wooden doors, windows, and other wooden parts of the home. However, once water, heat, and other external factors get the best of wood, it rots. Yes, we know from the start that wood will rot over time. The good news is that there are actually a few ways to prevent wood from rotting and not just on windows and doors, but other parts of the house as well.

House Logic shares a few helpful ways to detect and prevent wood rot, and they are summarized as follows:

1. At least once a year, check for trouble spots that could be the start of rotting, such as cracks or holes around doors, windows, and air vents; leaking gutters; trees and shrubs very close to roofing or siding; and stripped-off paint over wooden surfaces.
2. If rot is suspected, press the area with your fingers. Soft areas mean that rot is already starting to occur.
3. To prevent rot, be sure to use decay-resistant or pressure-treated lumber for floors. It is also important to properly stain or paint all sides of wood that will be used outdoors. Cleaning gutters to avoid clogging is an important way to prevent water from leaking onto your fascia and siding.

The most important safeguard is to perform regular checkups, as well as maintenance, on your wooden doors, windows, and other wooden parts of your home. Once you do this, wood rot can be significantly reduced and even prevented.