Rot happens, even to the most well maintained houses. All you need is a combination of wood, water, and warmth, and your prized lumber begins turning to a soft, crumbling mush. Exterior trim is the most vulnerable to attack by rot fungi, and it doesn’t have to be very old; the trim shown below was installed around 12 years ago.
Fortunately, rotted trim is generally easy to repair. (Things like rot-infested framing or mudsills pose a bigger problem. If you suspect you have problems like these, we’d be happy to walk you through your options.)
Before your local contractor fixes it, they’ll have to perform a comprehensive inspection to find all of it. With screwdriver or awl in hand, they’ll scrutinize areas that are nearly horizontal and don’t drain well, such as windowsills, drip caps, and water tables.
A tip we always give: look for paint that is cracked, peeling, or blistering, or wood that’s darker than the surrounding area or green with algae. We probe anywhere there’s end grain and we pay particular attention to joints, which dry slowly, and to all wood that’s close to dirt, concrete, or masonry. A super easy rotting wood fix is replacing it with PVC, which doesn’t ever rot. Definitely worth the investment!
If you’re finding problem areas this spring, call your favorite local contractors to get the inspection process started!
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Ploutis Painting & Contracting is family owned and operated. For over 50 years, we have worked meticulously to develop reliable and professional methods to ensure guaranteed customer satisfaction.
We have set the standard for the industry by providing the highest quality interior and exterior painting to commercial buildings, condominiums and residential properties within the Maryland, Virginia and Washington, DC area. We are praised for our consistent dedication and excellence in our work and strive to provide nothing short of perfection.
Ploutis Painting & Contracting 