Everyone's
heard of dry rot. But what is it actually? What can it cause? Should you be
worried? Here we will outline the essential information to know about dry rot
in order for you to have the upper hand against this home crumbling fungus.
“What is dry rot?”
Dry
rot (Serpula Lacryman) is a form of wood decay in which a species of fungi
feeds off the goodness and cellulose of structural timber.
“What does it look like?”
Like
most fungal infections, dry rot is not the easiest on the eyes. However, it is
vital for you to identify the Rot early in its life-cycle before the danger
exacerbates. Here are some typical indications of dry rot:
Dry
brittle timber or cuboidal cracking- caused by the removal of moisture.
Red
rust like spore dust typically found in the region of fruiting bodies.
White
or grey cotton-wool like substance (mycelium growth)
“Does
it pose a danger to mine or my children’s health?”
The
spores dry rot produce have the potential to cause respiratory problems if in
sufficient quantity, however, it is likely that there would be clear obvious
structural implications at this stage.
“Should I be worried?”
Dry
rot is becoming an increasingly widespread problem for homeowners across the
United Kingdom. What makes dry rot the most dangerous fungal decay is its
ability to penetrate through building materials, devouring your timber and
potentially spreading through your property like wildfire! If left untreated
the repercussions of dry rot can be catastrophic; as the dry rot spreads to new
parts of your property it becomes increasingly difficult to eradicate and can
end in property losing its strength and shape.
What
makes dry rot even more dangerously unique is its ability to reproduce when it
perishes. When doing this it sheds its spores into the atmosphere in a hunt to
feed on new timber.
“How do I get rid of it?”
Like any living species dry rot needs three
elements to survive:
1. Food- timber
2. Water/Moisture -commonly from a leaky pipe,
damaged gutters or drainpipe
3. Air
To
eradicate dry rot we can do two things: we can’t extract air around us so we’re
left with preventing the water and removing the food source. When a property
has dry rot the priority is to remove any infected timber as soon as possible
to prohibit the spread. Once the rot has
been located and removed, chemicals need to be sprayed on the timber.
Equally
important is to locate the source of water/moisture. Once found, it is
essential to stop the leak to ensure rot will not arise again. In some specific
cases, ventilation may need to be installed to extract the moisture from the
room.
When
dealing with such a severe problem as dry rot, it’s always best to leave it to
a specialist damp proofing company.
Failure to adequately stop the source of moisture will mean that you are
only resolving the issue on a short-term basis, if you want to eradicate dry
rot for good then leave it to the experts.
"How will they solve my dry rot problem?”
If
you want to guarantee your home is free from a dry rot attack, there is only
one method of dry rot treatment that specialist companies implement.
1. Initiate primary control measures –
identify and eradicate source of moisture, promote rapid drying
2.
Initiate secondary control measures – remove infected material, replace/repair
and consider engineering methods to isolate structural timbers.
3.
Preservative control measures – masonry treatments.
Don’t
let dry rot happen. Protect your family. Keep your house dry. Investigate leaks
and clear out the gutters. If ever in doubt, specialist damp and timber
companies such as Timberwise, can help you with your property care concerns.
