Dry Rot Home Repair

The dry rot fungus, Serpula lacrymans, is often regarded as the 'cancer' of a building. Many myths have built up concerning what this fungal decay is capable of doing, occasionally leading to the belief that the fungus is indestructible and that the whole of the building will have to be pulled down. However, dry rot is vulnerable to certain environmental effects and, like all wood destroying fungi, it has essential needs, and it is those needs that limit the extent of spread and damage that this organism can inflict. Unfortunately dry rot is a very secretive organism, favoring dark, damp stagnant conditions to develop. This is frequently why it is able to spread extensively before the damage is first noticed.

Primary treatment:

It is wise to locate and rectify the source of dampness causing the decay and identify other vulnerable areas within the property. It is required to promote and maintain drying conditions. The primary measures for control as described above are extremely important and form the basis for eradicating the fungal infection. One should cut out and remove from site all decayed timbers together with a margin of up to 600mm beyond the last evidence of fungal decay. The actual amount removed will depend upon the extent of decay and the site conditions. Remove all built in timbers, within the affected areas and replace with steel or concrete according to the local building regulations. Replacement of timber suspended floors with solid floor should be considered if appropriate ensuring hardcore is not dry rot or wood contaminated.

After treatment:

One should always ensure that all timber debris is removed from any damp subsite. Where dry rot is present in the subsite soil remove the top 75mm portion of it and dispose it. Replacement of timber suspended floors with solid floor should be considered if appropriate ensuring hardcore is not dry rot or wood contaminated. It is very important to clean down all exposed masonry using a wire brush to remove surface fungal growth. One should also thoroughly clean up and remove all dirt and debris which may contain fungal growth. Full masonry treatment with conventional liquid sterilants is not recommended due to the attendant problems of injecting large quantities of water into masonry.

You might be interested in these posts as well:

1. Tips To Minimize Risk Of Dry Rot - Introduction: What is Dry Rot? Dry Rot is a fungus disease the affects both softwood and hardwood timber. It is...
2. Dry Rot Fungus - Dry rot is a fungal disease that attacks all kinds of wood that is soft wood and hard wood. It...
3. What Is Dry Rot - Dry rot is a fungus that is better known as building cancer. They rampage through buildings and quickly destroy any...
4. Dry Rot Repair - Dry rot which is known as the Serpula lachrymans is the wood destroying fungus that is very commonly found. Dry...
5. Dry Rot - Dry rot is a serious timber decay that is caused by a fungus in damp, poorly ventilated buildings and eventually...