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Dry Rot - the devastating impact

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 14:13:33 GMT

Dry rot can be caused by many factors but the most serious is fungal decay (Serpula Lacrymans). Expert diagnosis is vital as this fungus can destroy a property's structural strength and sadly we have seen this on a few occassions.

Dry rot occurs mostly in soft woods, and typically occurs where stone and wood are in contact. This fungus has the ability to grow through plaster, concrete and brickwork in the search for further wood. Dry rot treatments include rectifying the damp ingress, removal of plasterwork/masonry, removal of decayed timbers and sterilisation of the infected areas.

Signs of dry rot can include:

Musty odor : A distinctive smell of wet or musty mushrooms
Cracked wood : Deep cracks in the wood grain, or a cuboidal pattern of cracks
Discolored wood : Wood may appear dark brown, rusty, or have a reddish-brown discoloration
Brittle wood : Wood may crumble or feel brittle when handled
Spore dust : Fine brown dust or orange-brown patches of spore dust
Mycelium : A cotton wool-like white or grey growth on the surface of the wood
Fruiting bodies : Mushroom-like structures that look like small pizzas, with a white outer part and a rusty-red middle
Hyphal growth : Thread-like white strands that spread through the wood
Shrinkage : The wood may shrink

If you suspect you could have Dry Rot in Dorset & Somerset please get in touch for a Free Survey!

We're on Checkatrade

Wed, 11 Feb 2026 14:11:06 GMT

We have been with Checkatrade since 2018 and since then have supported many customers, please take a look at our great reviews !

Every tradesperson on Checkatrade passes up to 12 checks before joining. That means you’ll only find people who’ve been verified. Checks include, ID and address verification, References from past customers and checking of Accreditation and qualifications.

How to spot Woodworm

Thu, 15 Jan 2026 15:33:13 GMT

All you need to know about Woodworm, how to spot it and treatment....

There are many species of woodworm. The most common we encounter are Common Furniture Beetle and Death Watch Beetle. We treat residential and commercial properties across Dorset and Somerset with Woodworm Treatments .

Areas we most commonly treat are Structural Timbers, Roof Voids and Floors.

If left unchecked, sever damage can occur to your property. Eggs are laid on the wood, once hatched the larvae grubs penetrate the timber and feed for several years before emerging as adults, hence the cycle continues.

Signs of woodworm include tiny, round exit holes, fine powdery bore dust (frass), weak/crumbly wood and visible tunnels inside timber, with active infestations often marked by fresh holes, new dust, or live beetles especially around May-Oct.

We can visit your home or business and carry out a full inspection free of charge and in some instances we can even identify issues through photos/videos you send us if you prefer. If we find any woodworm or beetle infestation, we will treat it with effective treatment chemicals preventing further damage to your wooden structures.

Our woodworm treatments come with a 10 Year Guarantee in most cases.

What we achieved in 2025!

Tue, 06 Jan 2026 09:45:24 GMT

Here are some statistics for 2025, thank you to all our customers!

Protecting Homes in 2025

97 Home Guarantees Issued

For Damp and Woodworm Treatments , providing homeowners with confidence, security, and long-term protection.

✔ Added reassurance for homeowners and buyers

✔ Industry-approved treatment methods

✔ Work carried out by experienced specialists

✔ Family Business running from 1993, we are proud of what we do.

241 Home Surveys Completed

✔ Detailed surveys and diagnostics

✔ We do not charge for our Surveys, they are FREE and no obligation to give you peace of mind that no upfront costs are required

✔ Our Surveys are carried out by CSRT Qualified staff, we have industry recognised qualifications from the Property Care Association to back our knowledge and experience.

Guarantee's.. that mean what they say!

Fri, 24 Oct 2025 11:58:35 GMT

We were sad to hear on a recent job, that a customer who had a guarantee for damp work from a business who used Insurance Backed Guarantee's, the damp proofing company wouldn't honor the guarantee to its client as the insurance company had apparently gone out of business, we are not sure how lawful this is but either way, it didn't seem right!

So we wanted to reiterate to our customers we provide all of our OWN guarantees for the work we carry out where applicable.

Therefore, as long as we are in business (We have been trading since 1993 and have no plans to go anywhere!) we will always honour our guarantee's that we provide for work such as Woodworm or Rising Damp etc.

We provide 10 year Guarantees as we are confident in the work we carry out.

Remember, with all guarantees we provide, the client has to comply fully with the terms, conditions, specifications, recommendations of the survey report and contract we put in place.

Awaab’s Law

Fri, 17 Oct 2025 10:01:47 GMT

Awaab's Law, named after Awaab Ishak who tragically lost his life at just 2 years old , is a new UK law that sets legal timeframes for social landlords to address dangerous housing issues like damp, mould, and emergency repairs. It comes into force from 27th October 2027 and requires landlords to investigate and act on these hazards within deadlines, giving tenants new rights to legal action if the landlord fails to comply.

Although this new law applies directly to social housing providers, we believe this could impact on the standards expected or at least influence standards across the entire housing sector, be it private landlords, contractors, developers etc.

Mould poses health risks but doesn't always require lots of structural work to rectify in fact often can be dealt with following some simple lifestyle changes or changes to the home, we are happy to give advice on this or direct you to competent supplies/contractors who can help with extreme cases.

Damp has more of an impact on the structure of a home, prolonged damp leads to decayed timbers, plaster failure, loss of thermal efficiency along with other issues.

Rising Damp and Penetrating Damp have different causes and methods of treating, if you suspect either of these and require a free survey then do get in touch .

For more information on Awaab's Law please check out the Gov.uk website

Awaab’s Law: Draft guidance for social landlords - GOV.UK

CSRT Qualified - what does this actually mean?

Tue, 01 Jul 2025 17:44:14 GMT

Certificated Surveyor in Remedial Treatments

CSRT surveyors are trained to identify the causes and effects of dampness, including rising damp , penetrating damp , condensation and other moisture-related problems. They also possess knowledge of timber decay , like woodworm and rot.

ALL our surveyors have undertaken this qualification, some other damp proofers have not undertaken formal qualifications within the area which can leave customers vulnerable.

The CSRT qualification is widely recognized in the UK and ensures that surveyors meet a high standard of competence and professionalism.

How to Spot Early Signs of Dry Rot

Wed, 26 Mar 2025 20:15:45 GMT

How to spot early signs of Dry Rot to prevent long term pain...

The above image is from a dry rot cedar preservation attended, as you can see the impact can be devastating.

Expert diagnosis is vital as this fungus can destroy a property's structural strength. This fungus has the ability to grow through plaster, concrete and brickwork in the search for further wood!

So how do you know you have dry rot? What are the signs and symptoms to look for?

fine and fluffy white mycelium that you see spreading
grey-whitish ‘skin’ tinged with patches of yellow or lilac in some cases
fruiting body – soft, fleshy, mushroom appearing, often orange in colour, rust coloured in the centre, with wide pores
red dust from spreading spores, often found around fruiting bodies

In flooring it can be harder to identify as it occurs under the floorboards. You may find that the floor feels bouncy, drops away from the skirting boards or floorboards may start to creak more.

Dry Rot in Wood can have signs of Dry Rot in Wood splitting and cracking of timber into small cubes or shrinking of the timber. It can also appear dry, brittle, crumbly timber.

Does it smell?

Yes, it can do, it can have an Earthy odour, Mushroom-like smell or a musty and damp smell

Cedar Preservation conduct a full survey to identify the source of dry rot or wet rot and treat it safely, quickly and efficiently removing the source of the dampness and all defective timbers to eliminate the rot.

Dry rot treatments include rectifying the damp ingress, removal of plasterwork/masonry, removal of decayed timbers and sterilisation of the infected areas.

Wet rot treatments include rectifying the source of dampness, replacement of degenerated timbers and irrigation with a fungicidal solution.

We have worked for many years across Dorset & Somerset supporting customers with Dry Rot. If you suspect you have this, or its been identified in a survey of your property, do get in touch for a Free Survey Inspection.

Working with Estate Agents

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 13:09:33 GMT

We work with local estate agents when damp is identified on home surveys

When an offer has been accepted on a property, it is common place for a house survey to be completed a qualified surveyor, these should be registered with a professional body, such as the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS). They will inspect the property's condition, which identifies problems to a prospective buyer. A report is produced and with this allows the buyer the opportunity to avoid any surprises, make informed decisions and where required negotiate on work that may need to be completed prior to or after the sale of a property. There are 3 levels of surveys available to potential buyers, which vary in cost, level of inspection etc.

On occasion Damp Problems or Damp Issues may be highlighted such as Rising Damp or Penetrating Damp, at this point it is often a good idea to get in a Damp Specialist to conduct a full survey on the area in question, from this they can provide a thorough report including an understanding of the works that may need to be completed and a quote for such work.

We at Cedar Preservation Ltd have a long standing relationship with local estate agents where we are recommended to buyers or vendors to conduct such surveys. We offer these Surveys Free of Charge across Dorset & Somerset.

Damp Proofing in a Listed Buildings

Wed, 05 Feb 2025 14:15:26 GMT

When customers contact us regarding damp issues in a Listed Building we will firstly advise you contact your local conservation officer. They will advise you on what remedial treatments you are allowed to complete on your property.

Generally they do not like the more modern techniques being used on listed buildings and prefer to stick to lime plastering however in some cases there can be exceptions such as where previous damp proofing has taken place so the customer is asking for a like for like or where by the ground level differences may be the cause of the dampness but the decision will be with the conservation officer.

It is against the law to carry out remedial treatments such as Damp Proofing for Rising Damp, Penetrating Damp, Dry/Wet Rot without consent from your local conservation officer, therefore we will always ask our customers for information regarding listed properties.

"No person shall execute or cause to be executed any works for the demolition of a listed building or for its alteration or extension in any manner which would affect its character as a building of special architectural or historic interest unless the works are authorised"

Listed Building Regulations Act 1990

How to spot Woodworm

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 12:56:06 GMT

Woodworm is often caused by the 2 most common beetles, Deathwatch beetle (Xestobium rufovillosum) and Common furniture beetle (Anobium punctatum)

If left untreated can cause the structural integrity of the wood to deteriorate.

Generally we say the easiest thing to look for is small pin size holes and yellow dust.

If you see any of these then please get in touch for a free survey to identify whether or not it is woodworm and what treatment options are available to you.

New member of the team...Meet Lottie!

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 12:43:00 GMT

Welcome Lottie, the latest addition to the Cedar Team. Congratulations to our Surveyor Mark on the birth of his daughter.

Dry Rot - the devastating impact

Fri, 17 Jan 2025 12:33:21 GMT

Signs of dry rot can include:

Musty odor : A distinctive smell of wet or musty mushrooms
Cracked wood : Deep cracks in the wood grain, or a cuboidal pattern of cracks
Discolored wood : Wood may appear dark brown, rusty, or have a reddish-brown discoloration
Brittle wood : Wood may crumble or feel brittle when handled
Spore dust : Fine brown dust or orange-brown patches of spore dust
Mycelium : A cotton wool-like white or grey growth on the surface of the wood
Fruiting bodies : Mushroom-like structures that look like small pizzas, with a white outer part and a rusty-red middle
Hyphal growth : Thread-like white strands that spread through the wood
Shrinkage : The wood may shrink

If you suspect you could have Dry Rot in Dorset & Somerset please get in touch for a Free Survey!

38caff4a

Dry Rot - the devastating impact

We're on Checkatrade

We have been with Checkatrade since 2018 and since then have supported many customers, please take a look at our great reviews !

﻿

Every tradesperson on Checkatrade passes up to 12 checks before joining. That means you’ll only find people who’ve been verified. Checks include, ID and address verification, References from past customers and checking of Accreditation and qualifications.

How to spot Woodworm

All you need to know about Woodworm, how to spot it and treatment....

What we achieved in 2025!

Here are some statistics for 2025, thank you to all our customers!

Protecting Homes in 2025

97 Home Guarantees Issued

241 Home Surveys Completed

Guarantee's.. that mean what they say!

Awaab’s Law

CSRT Qualified - what does this actually mean?

Certificated Surveyor in Remedial Treatments

CSRT surveyors are trained to identify the causes and effects of dampness, including rising damp , penetrating damp , condensation and other moisture-related problems. They also possess knowledge of timber decay , like woodworm and rot.

ALL our surveyors have undertaken this qualification, some other damp proofers have not undertaken formal qualifications within the area which can leave customers vulnerable.

The CSRT qualification is widely recognized in the UK and ensures that surveyors meet a high standard of competence and professionalism.

How to Spot Early Signs of Dry Rot

How to spot early signs of Dry Rot to prevent long term pain...

Working with Estate Agents

We work with local estate agents when damp is identified on home surveys

Damp Proofing in a Listed Buildings

How to spot Woodworm

New member of the team...Meet Lottie!

Dry Rot - the devastating impact