It’s the silent killer lurking in many homes and it’s causing serious damage. If you’ve ever owned a home, chances are you’ve heard of wood rot, but hopefully you’ve never seen its full effects.

All-Weather Window, Doors, & Siding has seen it all when it comes to wood rot, which is why we want to help you prevent it from destroying your home. Keep reading for the need-to-knows on wood rot and how you can keep this silent killer from entering your home.

Related Read: 7 Window Safety Tips That Could Potentially Save Your Life

What Is Wood Rot?

Wood rot is caused by fungi attacking wood that has been wet at some time. Moisture is needed to initiate the rotting process, and it’s also needed to sustain it. Generally, the fungi needs wood with at least 20% moisture content to grow. Wood rot experts explain that dry wood doesn’t rot, but once wood is wet you will always be at risk for wood rot.

How to Spot Wood Rot

There are two different types of wood rot: brown rot and white rot. Brown rot typically has a cubical appearance and looks similar to a mud puddle that has dried and cracked. Also, as its name implies, it’s brown – usually darker than the original wood color. The wood can become dry and powdery in advanced cases this is sometimes referred to as “dry rot”.

White rot is lighter in color (dirty white or grayish to yellowish) and looks and feels spongy or fibrous. Sometimes wood rot can grow undetected for a long time. At other times, it develops ‘fruiting bodies’ and becomes more noticeable. These fruiting bodies give the wood a crusty or scabby appearance.

Is Wood Rot Mold?

Although they grow under similar moisture conditions, rot, mold, and mildew are all different lifeforms. Mold and mildew don’t actually damage wood, but they do indicate the presence of moisture. They can also increase the wood’s ability to absorb moisture, which makes it more likely to provide the correct growing conditions for rot.

Wood rot feeds off damp wood using minute feeder threads called “hyphae”. This feedings process sucks nutrients, and thus strength, from the wood. This causes the wood to gradually decompose in place. Wood rot if so insidious that it can go unnoticed until it has done a tremendous amount of irreversible damage.

How Expensive Is Fixing a Window with Wood Rot?

The cost of repairs depends on how extensive the damage is. You cannot allow the replacement wood to come in contact with the old, rot-infested wood because it can contaminate the new wood. In rare cases, if you catch the wood rot early enough, it might be possible to repair the window and its frame.

The best way to find out is to hire a window professional to evaluate the situation and decide the best course of action. In many cases, it’s probably better to replace the window rather than try to repair it. This is particularly true with wood-framed windows.

How to Avoid & Prevent Wood Rot?

In order for wood rot to grow, it needs four things:

• Moisture (at least 20% moisture content)
• Food in the form of the carbohydrates found in wood (cellulose and lignin)
• Oxygen
• Favorable temperatures (40-100 degrees Fahrenheit)

It’s pretty difficult to change the oxygen and temperature and still have a house that’s livable. And most homes include at least some wood. That means controlling moisture is the only way you will have a chance at preventing wood rot damage in your home. Overall, the most important step in preventing wood rot is to find the source of the moisture and eliminate it.

Are your windows crumbling at the seams? Wood rot could be your culprit. Give All-Weather a call at (913) 262-4380 or schedule your appointment online today! We’d be happy to assist you with all of your window needs.

Painting the trim on your doors and windows can often be the trickiest part to maneuver. Those tiny cracks and difficult-to-reach edges can leave you frustrated and ready to give up.

We’ve been around our fair share of windows and doors here at All-Weather, and we want painting your trim to be a breeze. To ease some of that frustration, here are tips for before, during, and after painting your trim.

• Painter’s Tape: Painter’s tape keeps things looking precise and polished.
• Stiff Angled Paint Brush: The right brush will make your life a lot easier when it comes to painting your trim, so if you need to splurge, do it on this item!
• Interior/Exterior Trim Paint: Many prefer a semi-gloss or high-gloss when painting their trim, but remember, if you are painting inside or outside you will need to buy a different trim paint for each area.
• Clear it out: Make sure to move any furnishings, cords, drapes or other items near the trim and place a drop cloth beneath the surface you’ll be painting. 

• Sand it down: It is extremely crucial to sand down any imperfections and clean the surface of your trim before doing anything. This helps paint last longer, making your life easier in the long run.
• Clean it up: Whether you are painting the indoor or outdoor trim of your home, it is crucial to clean the surface. Painting over dust and other debris may affect the effectiveness of your primer.
• Tape it off: Painter’s tape is the best way to achieve clean lines. Make sure to spend time on this, it will be worth it when you’re done. In addition to painter’s tape, you can use a paint guard to get clean lines.
• Prime time: Before you paint you have to prime, right? Wrong. Skip this step with a primer-and-paint blend. If you do decide to prime separately, make sure to let it dry completely before the next coat.

• More is more: You heard right. Many don’t put a lot of paint on their brush to avoid dripping and running, but this may be counterproductive. Putting too thin of a layer of paint can cause it to dry too quickly, leaving behind uneven lines.
• Once is enough: Many think you need to layer it on when it comes to paint, but often times one coat is all you need. Paint your first coat and walk away, with the primer underneath it should be good to go. If not, paint one more coat and repeat.
• Quick, the tape!: Remove the painter’s tape while the paint is still wet. This will avoid creating chips and ruining your masterpiece.

Now you can sit back, relax, and enjoy your (semi) professional paint job! For more tips on painting windows, doors, and all other types of trim try Black & Decker’s The Complete Guide to Windows & Entryways: Repair – Renew – Replace.

Are you considering new windows for your home? Let the professionals at All-Weather Window, Doors & Siding help. Learn everything about our windows, here.