Wood rotten on top of the basement sill
9/27/2017 at 7:46:17 PM
Dear Experts,
Recently I found out in my basement, behind the insulation, that there was rotten wood on top of the basement sill(or rim joist, quite not sure though). Upon further investigation I figured out that it was due to water leakage from external patio, which caused the dampness on the wood and subsequently became the abode for ants. Ants have almost eaten up half foot of the wood joint. Now, I am planning to remove the wood log and replace it with a new one to avoid future issues. Since any unprofessional work could lead up to the damage to the structure of the building, wondering your opinion and expertise in terms of the effort and cost.
Please advise. I live in Greater Toronto Area
9/28/2017 at 12:10:17 PM
This is not unusual. Cost would depend on several factors. the length of the area, what is above (bungalow, two story, more) a weight consideration. but replacement is not a huge issue if all is reasonable in the normal range. The floor needs to ne jacked up ... just a little ... to be able to cut out and replace the ridge board. The next issue would be to determine the actual cause of the damage and remedy that. It may require better weeping tile, an actual drain, a pump or some other method to keep moisture away from that area. I would suggest contacting a foundation company to get their professional opinion.
Best of luck.
9/28/2017 at 1:59:43 PM
Thanks Mark. It's a two storied building. For temporary fix, I sealed the external joint.
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