Expert Wood Rot Repair Ann Arbor, MI

You love spending time outside, we get it. And why not? You live in beautiful Michigan, in a bustling sustainable community that is renowned for its culinary scene and as a hub for technology, with an easily accessible downtown area. And when you want a quieter afternoon, you can just kick back and chill in your backyard. However, a drawback to Ann Arbor's wet climate can significantly dampen your days of leisure on the porch: wood rot. While a wood porch can set the scene for any backyard oasis, wood rot can turn those dreams into a nightmare. Thankfully, My Handyman of Ann Arbor, Saline, and Chelsea has you covered.

Our team of expert handymen can handle all your wood rot repair needs. From porches to fences to sheds, we repair and help you prevent wood rot from occurring.

Our experienced team of wood rot repair experts in Ann Arbor, MI, will assess the extent of the damage and restore your wood surfaces to their former glory. With a dedication to quality craftsmanship, you can trust My Handyman of Ann Arbor, Saline, and Chelsea to get the job done right.

Read more about the exceptional services we offer to tackle wood rot or contact us today!

We’re the Prevention Specialists: Wood Rot Repair in Ann Arbor, MI

A big wood structure, such as a deck, has a certain aesthetic appeal to it, with its connotations for gatherings and relaxing moods. But if you're not careful, wood rot can threaten the entire frame of your deck. Thankfully, our expert handymen can help keep your deck safe.

Wood rot is a widespread issue throughout Michigan. With plenty of lakefront homes, humid summers, snowy winters, and lots of rainfall, the conditions are ideal for wood rot to thrive. As a result, homeowners in Michigan need to take extra care with the wooden structures on their property to prevent and address wood rot.

That means you need to be extra careful about the wooden structures and surfaces around your home. Some signs that you need a wood rot repair service include:

Discoloration and darker-colored timber
Soft, spongy or crumbly texture
Splintering and fissuring
Hairline cracks and fractures
Fungus growth is reserved for a specific spot
Shrinkage
A damp, musty odor
Peeling or flaky paint
Small holes and leakages
Physical health symptoms such as cough, runny nose and watery eyes

We address three types of wood rot. Keep reading to learn more about them.

Brown Rot/Dry Rot

The most common types of wood rot, brown rot, or dry rot, can make your timber become dried out as fungus infiltrates the timber and eats away at the cellulose in wood cells, causing it to warp. If your wood exhibits a brittle texture, a darker color, and deeper cracks, it is crucial to seek immediate wood rot repair. Ann Arbor, MI, property owners will find that wooden structures, such as subfloors and decks, will become weaker once exposed to brown rot's fungal spores.

Brown rot’s fungal growth is composed of a puffy white wispy substance, and is contagious. Once it infects one part of your home, it can spread to other areas of your home in no time at all. On top of that, it can mutate and regenerate after it digests the timber, so unless you seek an Ann Arbor wood rot repair, this is not an issue that will just go away.

White Rot

Wood is made of lignin, a natural polymer that binds the cells of wood together, allowing for natural rigidity. When the fungus eats away at lignin, it strips away the color of the wood and leaves behind a soft, spongy texture, resulting in white rot.

White rot attacks both living and dead trees, and typically affects softwoods. It is more common in areas with damp or excess moisture conditions. White rot treatment may include using a fungicide to kill the fungus or mold and then replacing the affected wood.

Soft Rot

Moving slower than its brown or white variations, soft rot devours both the cellulose and lignin in wood cells, resulting in a honeycomb-like structure. Out of the three molds listed here, it is the most uncommon one.

Soft rot is usually found in places that are either too hot or too cold or brown or white rot and often starts in the deep inner activities of the wood in question. Treatment for soft rot may involve removing and replacing the affected materials with new, treated timber, or using a preservative to remove the mold, preventing future decay.

Assessing Wood Rot Damage For Remediation

My Handyman of Ann Arbor, Saline, and Chelsea will conduct a thorough assessment of any damage that may be or is caused by wood rot. Our technicians will inspect wooden structures for decay and suggest treatment based on factors like wood type, severity, types of rot, and damage location. Proper maintenance can help prevent extensive damage from harming your wooden structures and requiring extensive interior or exterior repairs.

It is important to address wood rot as soon as it’s discovered to prevent further wood rot damage and to ensure the safety and structural integrity of your home. However, there are things you can do to prevent wood rot from reoccurring, such as staying on top of regular staining or painting wooden structures such as your deck, window frames, trim, fence posts, and any exposed interior beams. Remember, wood rot can spread quickly, so it's important to have your home inspected regularly to catch it early. Regular care and repair will help keep wooden structures like your deck safe.

Contact our dependable handyman service today to see how we can help protect your home.

Your Trusted, Experienced Ann Arbor Handyman

Our highly skilled technicians have a minimum of 15 years of experience, so you know we have the skills and expertise to get your job done right the first time. As one of the top-rated franchises in the industry, we're dedicated to providing superior customer service that our customers can count on and delivering a higher standard of work. We offer a wide range of residential services, such as plumbing, painting, flooring projects, and remodeling services, along with a wide range of commercial handyman services.

Our background-checked team is trustworthy and honest to give our customers total peace of mind over every service we perform. We stand by our work and promise that if you’re not satisfied, we’ll come back and do it again.

Check out what our customers have to say, and see why we’re your trusted and reliable source for all your home improvement projects.

FAQs about Wood Rot Repair: Ann Arbor, MI

What Can I Do To Prevent The Need for Wood Rot Repair?

Regular care and repair are important in preventing wood rot. To avoid the need for Ann Arbor wood rot repair services and any damage to your property, it is important to establish a protective moisture barrier between the surface of your timber and the elements. One way to do this is by staining your wood, followed by the application of a sealant or a wood hardener. We recommend that you get the sealant reapplied every two years or as needed, depending on the extent of weather fluctuations in your area and damaged wood.

Another way is to use exterior paint to cover the exterior wood surface. You would need to monitor the condition of the paint and address any signs of peeling promptly, as moisture can infiltrate the deteriorated wood. Before repainting, make sure that the wood has not already experienced excess moisture damage. You can prevent wood rot with routine maintenance, such as staining or painting the timber to seal it.

Be sure to conduct checks around exterior wood structures, such as fencing or deck footings, for signs of excess moisture or water damage.

Consider engaging your Ann Arbour My Handyman service to conduct a thorough inspection and provide expert advice.

Can I Paint Over Rotted Wood To Prevent It From Spreading?

You cannot paint over rotted wood to prevent its spread; this is one of the biggest misconceptions homeowners can make when addressing wood rot. Rotten wood is damaged wood, and will need to be replaced before you can have it painted over or any other type of installation.

If you were to paint over rotted wood, it would not prevent any further damage. Instead, the wood would continue to rot, and the paint would peel away.

For All Your Home Repair And Maintenance Work, Trust My Handyman for Wood Rot Repair in Ann Arbor, MI

You can rely on the skilled technicians at My Handyman of Ann Arbor, Saline, and Chelsea for all your home repair and maintenance needs. They are dedicated to providing superior service and the highest standard of workmanship.

Proudly serving Ann Arbor and the surrounding communities, including Saline, Dexter, Ypsilanti, Milan, Chelsea, Brighton, Whitmore Lake, and Pittsfield Township, you can trust our expert handymen to get the job done right.

Request a service today, and see why we’re the top choice for wood rot repair. We also invite you to check out our maintenance plans to prevent these issues from occurring in the first place!