Case Study
How The Preservation Company restored a decaying property in Aberfeldy
An overview of the project
Aberfeldy is situated in a beautiful region of Perthshire, surrounded by rolling green hills and dramatic landscapes. Its position in the Highlands of Perthshire means it often experiences temperamental weather, with driving winds and rain often passing through. Aberfeldy’s properties must remain sturdy and watertight in the face of such conditions to prevent water and moisture ingress.
A business contacted us from Aberfeldy whose unique and impressive property had succumbed to water ingress, causing large areas of fungal decay and extensive dry rot fruiting bodies. We were tasked with surveying the property and identifying the source of the issue and the damage it may have already caused.
The property is a traditional extended stone build with pitched slate roof coverings. Our immediate task was to perform a non-invasive survey with respect to fungal decay concerns within the property. Our internal observations revealed large areas of fungal decay throughout the property, reaching from the subfloor and extending up the walls into the ceilings. Our extensive and professional survey unveiled new areas of damage and highlighted the dire condition the property was facing.
Key Information
What is dry rot?
Dry rot is a type of wood rot caused by a fungus that breaks down the cellulose and lignin components of wood, leading to structural damage and decay
How do we identify it?
Dry rot can be identified by the presence of a musty smell, darkened wood, cracked or splitting wood, and fungal growth. Our professional team has years of experience identifying dry rot at its early stages.
How do we manage it?
Our first action is to identify the source of dampness allowing us to dry out and fix the initial cause. We can then proceed to remove all areas of dry rot, sterilising and replacing areas of decay.
Our primary aim was to deliver a clean and sustainable solution which prevents any future recurrence and retains the charming interior of the property.
Gavin White – Managing Director
The recommendations
Tidy & Clean up
The spread of Dry Rot was extensive and had found its way into several areas around the property. To prevent further spread we recommended that original items were disposed of and walls were stripped to remove debris hidden behind.
Reinforce structure
In order to prevent future instances, we recommended a damp proofing course, including uplifting flooring to cut back joists and fitting new protected wall plates.
Waterproofing
We recommended internal scaffolding to dismantle and repair the suspended ceiling along with replacing wall frames where necessary substituting accordingly. New plasterboard, skirtings and facings would be installed post-sterilisation.
Our journey to success
Identifying Dry Rot with our professional service
Our first step was to perform a survey of both the external and internal structures to identify and understand the problems facing the property. Our professional survey allows us to prepare an extensive strategy combining years of experience to find a solution which leads to success.
Sourcing and fixing the cause of Damp
With our survey complete and our strategy in place, our initial task was to repair the areas causing dampness to prevent future incursion and allow us to dry out the property for further work. This is an important step to allow us to being removing debris and areas where dry rot has taken hold.
Restoring and reinforcing structure
With all areas of dry rot and its debris clear we began to make all important structural repairs throughout the property. This included cutting back joist ends to prevent them from touching the walls, removing wall-head wall plates and framing the walls to secure plasterboard. We installed new plywood linings along with skirtings, facings and refitting shelving.
The three key takeaways
1. Early diagnosis
Upon spotting or suspecting any signs of dampness it’s important to get a professional to survey your property. In the long run, it can save considerable time and money whilst preventing the spread of fungal growth which can be damaging to your health.
2. Professional treatment
Professional treatment is the most appropriate action to ensure results, attempting damp proofing yourself may lead to increased spread by encouraging water movement between structural elements and your personal belongings.
3. Prevention strategy
Prevention is always the key and once established dry rot has been eliminated it is important to correctly manage the area to prevent it from coming back. Any professional service will provide a full prevention strategy to ensure a safe and dry property.