ᐅ Timber Frame Construction – Mold and Pest Issues

Created on: 3 Jul 2012 10:35
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haus1212
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haus1212
3 Jul 2012 10:35
Hello everyone,

an acquaintance told me that when building with a wood frame construction method, mold growth and/or pest infestation can occur inside the walls.
Can this really happen? I haven’t heard anything about this so far. What about after 20-30 years? Could it happen then?

Thanks and best regards,
Herbert
Der Da3 Jul 2012 11:51
There are prefab home manufacturers who have been building with timber frame construction for over 60 years, and they still renovate and expand their older houses today. If this really were such a big problem, do you think these companies would still be around?

It all depends on the HOW. Which materials are used and how they are handled. Mold can be prevented through careful construction and proper ventilation, either with a mechanical ventilation system or manually. By the way, you have the same problem with mold in solid (masonry) construction as well.
And pests or insects should not occur if the building envelope is well constructed and properly plastered. The only thing I’ve read is that insects can occasionally be an issue in cold roofs. But that problem also exists in masonry houses, since roof structures there are also made of wood.

I think your friend hasn’t done much research on the topic and is just repeating poorly researched media hype. There are extremely unreliable prefab builders who sell cheap. You get what you pay for.
Sweden, Canada, the USA, Norway… they have been using this building method for a very long time, and it can’t be that bad when you look at the weather conditions there.
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wadi1982
3 Jul 2012 12:12
I completely agree. My parents built a timber frame house in 1979 and haven’t had any issues since. Of course, a house needs to be properly maintained (which is just as true for masonry construction).
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Shism
5 Jul 2012 13:38
haus1212 schrieb:
Hello everyone,

an acquaintance told me that when building with timber frame construction, mold growth and/or pest infestation can occur inside the walls.
Is this really possible?

Yes! It can happen...

Any more questions?
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haus1212
5 Jul 2012 14:38
@Shism: Yes, the next questions are: How can this happen? And how can it be prevented?
Cascada5 Jul 2012 14:56
...I also know of 50 to 60-year-old “solid” houses that had to be demolished...

It really depends, as is the case almost everywhere, on the maintenance and care.

By the way, roof structures of masonry houses are made of wood...

...and ants, for example, can also “eat” their way through bricks.

Best regards... (from someone who is now rushing home immediately to carefully inspect his timber frame house for mold and pests, and won’t rest until he finds nothing – while also envying a few neighbors living in solid houses)