Did you know that dry rot is ironically created from having too much moisture come in contact with wood?

The fact is many homeowners are unaware that dry rot is even setting in, so the first step toward prevention is being able to diagnose possible areas of exposure before dry rot becomes a major renovation expense.

Remember that dry rot to your foundation can be an extremely costly repair and will definitely figure prominently into the total value of your property when a house inspection is completed prior to a sale.

As well, fungus and mold spores can affect the air quality of your home, which is a health problem for not only you and your family but also for prospective buyers.

Identifying Leaks To Your Water Membrane

In a very simple sense, discovering moisture or a leak on a wall or ceiling is an early sign that damage is occurring. Always inspect ceilings for particular evidence, especially around skylights and exhaust piping, as well as heating or cooling ducts. If damage was done to your roofing membrane during an installation or renovation, water can seep through.

Do an inspection of your basement in order to determine if any discoloring is happening to walls or wood. If you can smell mold or mildew, you may have a problem. However, this doesn’t mean that you’re already suffering from dry rot, just that the area is a hazard and should be sealed properly. Deal with the cause of the leak before you proceed to the repair stage.

Replacing The Affected Areas

If you have discovered wood that is either in the process of rotting, or has succumb to some water damage, the best thing to do is simply replace it. Once you’ve sealed the leak that initially caused the damage, discuss with your contractor the scope of the replacement job.

When installing new wood, it’s best to make sure that it’s treated with a Borate wood preservative to prolong its life and resilience to fungal infection. In some cases, you may not need to replace wood at all. You may be able to get away with only cleaning and then treating the area with Boric Acid, a fungicide that will slow down the spread of existing fungus and kill future growth.

Choosing The Right Fungicide And Preservative

This step will depend on the unique needs of your home’s situation. Generally, you have the option to choose between a dry powder and a glycol-based liquid concentrate. While the powder may appear less expensive, it may not do as thorough a job of absorbing deeply into the wood fibers.

Depending on the depth of fungal intrusion, you may need to use the more powerful liquid substance. Both are easy to apply, so you should be able to tackle this task yourself.

Maintaining the quality of your home is essential for keeping up its value when it comes time to sell. Call your trusted real estate professional today for more advice on preserving the value of your investment and identifying areas of risk and exposure to dry rot.

Remember that it’s far easier to deal with problems now before they develop into major expenses down the road.

If you’re a homeowner, your backyard is probably a space where you look forward to spending private, quality time watching your children play or entertaining dinner guests.

The privacy you and your family treasure could suddenly be put at risk if your neighbors finish renovations allowing them to see into your backyard, or if a tree that once hid your backyard from view needs to be removed. If you’re looking to reclaim the privacy you’ve lost in your yard, here are some options you will want to consider.

Your Property Line Is A Natural Barrier That You Can Use To Reclaim Your Family’s Privacy

The first option you might consider if you’re looking to reclaim your yard’s privacy is probably building a fence – but depending on your budget, your relationship with your neighbors, and the look you want in your yard, a fence might not be the best option.

Consider planting a fast-growing hedge or other greenery along your property line instead. Italian cypress, for instance, will look great, grow very quickly, and will eventually give you all the privacy you need. 

Break Up Your Nosey Neighbors’ Line Of Sight By Installing Raised Beds Or Berms

If you already have a green thumb and love nothing more than working on your backyard garden, you can have your cake and eat it too by replanting your current backyard plants in raised beds or berms.

Raised beds will add up to two or three feet of height to your plants without taking away the area or square footage in the rest of your backyard, making it an ideal option for homeowners will smaller backyard spaces. Installing raised beds or berms could also be a great solution for your garden if you have trouble planting due to the presence of clay or simply poor soil.

Lumber Isn’t Your Only Fencing Option

Though fencing seems like an obvious and possibly boring option to liven up your backyard and improve the aesthetic of your space at the same time, there are ways you can get creative with fencing that you might not have considered. Putting in latticework can alleviate the claustrophobic feeling that might come with enclosing your space fully with a solid fence, giving you some visibility through the lattice.

You can spice up the look of your enclosure by weaving plants through your lattice, or if you have the patience, get some ivy growing through your enclosure.

Maximizing the privacy of your outdoor space is easy if you’re creative and you enjoy working outdoors. If you love nothing more than pruning and shearing, then try to reclaim your space through planting rather than installing a fence or another permanent structure that you can’t change and therefore might regret later.

If you’re worried about how your backyard transformation could affect the value of your home, or if you’re looking for more privacy options, contact a real estate professional that you trust for the backyard design help you need.