Looks like good timber above, but it is rotten on the inside

This is a classic example of why the Mdu Probe System is so helpful in determining damage. An Mdu Probe was installed into the bottom plate of a wall, and damage was found inside it as well as an elevated moisture content. The gib was then removed and the surface of the timber shows no evidence of the decay inside the timber. Had the Mdu Probe not been installed in this area, then a ‘visual inspection’ by removing gib and examining the timber surface would have given the impression that the area was perfectly ok when in fact it was hiding damage and high moisture.

This phenomenon is often repeated in many instances and gives insight as why many structural issues are missed by structural and moisture inspections carried out internally, through the gib or non-invasively.

#1195

10 year old house and new house have same damage

1998 plaster house repainted in 2006?, has bands around windows, rain heads, parapets capped, decks, metal roof, gutter stop ends resealed 2006?, louver aluminum windows. VCR report – control probe ‘C’, one only ‘D’, many ‘C’ with only 2 worse than control. MC reading March 2009, 2 red, many in yellow and orange, bulk upstairs green. Predict that many of VCR ‘C’ are historically construction or delivery sapstain or if early decay may have abated and done no further damage. Consider this to ID 971 which is a new home (Sept 2008) with construction moisture and worse VCR gradings. Perhaps ID 971 will dry out and resemble ID 1139 in 10 years time? Perhaps winter construction features in VCR – which may later be misconstrued by weathertightness experts. Interestingly the Timber Strength of ID 1139 is around 30\% on average stronger than ID 971. This may show timber naturally seasoning and becoming stiffer over time. This may alleviate concerns about low strength graded timber finding its way into homes – and not immediately showing up as deformations etc#971 , #1139