CONTROLLING FUNGI AROUND YOUR LOG HOME

FUNGI – Methods of Control During the construction phase, it’s important to control fungi around your log home. If you see any evidence of mold and mildew it MUST be removed. As mentioned in our fungi article, mold and sapstain increase the wood’s capacity to hold water. A greater absorptive promotes the pick-up of rain water, thus increasing the chances of decay. If mold and mildew are present, treat with the following solution: - 1/2 cup Trisodiurn Phosphate (found at your local hardware store) or non-ammoniated detergent - 1 quart of household bleach - 3 quarts of warm water This solution is caustic. Wear goggles, rubber gloves, and necessary clothing to prevent eye and skin contact. Also shield plant and shrubs from contact. Apply the solution onto the infected area with a hand-pump garden sprayer. Allow the solution to set for 5-10 minutes and pressure rinse thoroughly clean with fresh water. This treatment will kill the fungal growth as well as clean the log surface. However, it will not prevent the future occurrence of these organisms if conditions are suitable. Attempt to keep the logs as mildew-free as possible while the home is being built. Some manufacturers pretreat their logs with a wood preservative to minimize any major outbreaks of fungus during the construction phase. Even if they are pretreated, when the logs are delivered, prevent them from touching the ground or each other by placing stickers (spacers) between them. This procedure, by allowing air circulation between the logs, will help relieve any build-up of moisture and heat caused by the drying logs, thus reducing the chances of fungal attack. During the building process, it is advised to thoroughly inspect each log for evidence of mold and mildew. Clean any mildew-infected logs with the bleach solution mentioned above. This sections content was provided by The Continental Products Company.