West Molesey is a suburb by the River Thames, on the edge of London, and in the Elmbridge borough of Surrey. It has a high Street shopping areas which is surrounded by housing, schools and sports areas. Its close neighbour, East Molesey has a riverside situated alongside Hampton Court Palace Gardens in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. Its most commercial areas contain restaurants, cafés, shops and businesses.

If you are fortunate enough to own a property in West Molesey you need to be aware that the most persistent and serious causes of timber damage that can affect your property are Dry Rot (Serpula lacrymans), Wet Rot (Coniophora Puteana) and Woodworm, Common Furniture Beetle) (Anobium punctatum). Both fungal attacks are brought about by moisture ingress, often due to Rising Damp and penetrating damp, caused by poor maintenance, or leaking plumbing. Therefore, it is vital to keep your property well-maintained and dry at all times.

Dry Rot Attack (Serpula lacrymans)

Without doubt, by far, the most destructive wood-destroying fungus is Dry-Rot. Its name is misleading, since it requires moisture above 25% in order to germinate, grow and survive. Dry Rot is one of the most insidious problems a property can experience and if left, can course not only thousands of pounds’ worth of damage, but considerable disruption to eradicate. A fine red’ dust is often the first visible sign you will see on the surfaces of furniture. Unfortunately, by the time you start noticing this, the damage has already been done. The attack will rapidly spread to other parts of the property: hence it is essential you take immediate action and carry out all remedial work in accordance with the recommendations made by a Tapco HomeDry, qualified timber and damp surveyor.

Wet Rot (Coniophora puteana)

There are two types of Wet Rot: Brown rot and White rot, both of which can be destructive to timber, although they have a different effect upon the wood (depending on the type). Generally, brown rots cause cuboidal cracking and shrinkage of the timber, whereas white reduces the timber to a stringy, fibrous texture. The most common wet rot found in property is (Coniophora Puteana), commonly known as Cellar Fungus. Timbers can be seriously damaged by wood rot feeding on the cellulose which causes the wood to shrink, forming cube-like section and undermining its structural integrity. In most cases, the affected timbers will be so structurally damaged that they will need to be removed and replaced with new pre-treated timber.

Tapco HomeDry have been established for over 45 years and are long term members of the Property Care Association (PCA) and Trust Mark (Government Endorsed Standards). We are also an accredited Which? Trusted Trader. For your peace of mind our 20-year guarantee can be protected by Guarantee Protection Insurance (GPI). Do it Once, Do it Right, call Tapco HomeDry first.