Do I have WOOD ROT or TERMITES ? Know the difference.

Many homes built in Florida have wood siding called T1-11.

This wood siding commonly found on homes and sheds is about ⅝ of an inch thick and needs to be painted or sealed to protect it from moisture and sunlight.
T1-11 has been used in the housing and construction industry for many years.

There is another type of T1-11 siding called OSB siding. This stands for Oriented Strand Board and is made up by pressing and laminating together strands of wood and covered with a thin face to resemble real wood.

OBS T1-11 siding must be protected from rain and moisture, otherwise it will rot and fall apart. This is especially true since manufacturers do not paint or protect the bottom side of the sheets. Over time, rain will splash up and become absorbed by the wood and lead to wood rot.

Sometimes what looks like termite damage could be wood rot and vice versa.
Wood rot can be easily distinguished by the absence of mud tunnels, which is indicative of subterranean termites. The wood may still look damaged by wood rot, but the wood will appear far wetter. You may also see some white fungus strands within the wood.

Homes are always built with water exclusion in mind.
Any type of moisture that can penetrate your home could start a chain reaction leading to damage.

Call us today for a free inspection of your home or business.