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 often thought of as a building cancer, rampaging through buildings and completely destroying the timber. This destruction causes discoloration and eventual crumbling of the wood. This results collapse of wooden structures such as house flooring, mine shafts, ship hulls etc. Dry rot occurs mostly in places where the ventilation is poor or humidity is high so damage may be extensive before it is discovered. Damage is often confined to timber but large mushroom like fruiting bodies can easily grow through finishes such as plaster or paint. These fruiting bodies may be the first sign of this problem.

How to identify Dry Rot?

It is important to identify whether timber decay has been caused by dry rot or any other wood destroying fungus.

* The Wood shrinks, darkens and cracks in a cuboidal manner.

* A silky grey to mushroom colored skin frequently tinged with patches of lilac and yellow color develops under low humid conditions.

* White fluffy cotton wool like mycelium develops under humid conditions.

* Strands develop in the mycelium, they are brittle when dry and crack on bending.

* Rust red colored spore dust frequently seen around fruiting bodies.

* Active decay produces a musty and damp odour.

Tips to control the risk of Dry Rot

Dry Rot has become a major problem for everyone around the world so it is most important to know the measures to control dry rot.

* First carefully inspect all the timbers or wood, skirting, floorings, floorboards, masonry etc to determine the extent of the infection.

* Inspect plasterwork adjacent to decay for signs of fungal strands/mycelium. The extent of growth can be determined by removing of plaster samples.

* Inspect cavity wall for spread of fungus by removal of random bricks to provide access.

* Check ventilation to timber suspended floors and improve if necessary.

* Locate and rectify the source of dampness causing the decay and identify other areas within the location.

* Remove all the decaying stuff from that area and replace with other one if required.

* Where ever dry rot is present remember to remove that part and replace it because it may cause further decaying.

* Thoroughly clean up and remove all dirt and debris which may contain fungal growth.

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