Building Pathology (3) Flashcards
What are the two types of Rot?
Dry and Wet Rot
What are indications that Dry rot may be present?
Smell of mushrooms
White fungal growths with yellow and lilac colouration
Deep cracking in timbers
Insects
High humidity
What are indications that Wet rot may be present?
Distortion, softness, discoloration and cracking of timber
Loss of timber strength
Sometimes fungal growth is visible
Damp, musty smell
Insects
High humidity
What are the signs of damp?
Musty smell or mildew
Staining to walls/wallpaper
Flaking paint and plaster
Salts coming from plaster
Timber decay and rusting
Discolouration
Deteriorating mortar
What are the three types of damp?
Rising damp
penetrating damp
Condensation
What are some of the causes of subsidence?
Soil shrinkage and tree roots
Burst pipes washing away substrate
In-filled sites
Removal of support
Mining
Vibration
Landslip
What are the different types of woodworm?
Deathwatch beetle
Powder post beetle
House longhorn beetle
What are signs of woodworm?
Fresh exit holes in the timber
Tunnels in the wood caused by larvae
Dust from the boring
Weak or damaged floorboards
Larvae - white grub
What is Japanese knotweed and what signs indicate its presence?
A plant not native to but within the UK that can grow 4 inches per day with root systems causing damage to Properties and services.
Zig-zag growth pattern which appears green, but red spotting lower down.
Creamy white flowers in late summer.
Green heart-shaped leaves with pointed ends.
Red shoots from the ground when first growing.
