Part of Ward Property Services UK LtdDry rot, Serpula lacrymans, is the only wood-decay fungus in the UK capable of transporting water through its own strands, allowing it to spread from a damp area into dry timber and travel behind plaster and through masonry. This is what makes it so damaging: by the time fruiting bodies appear, the fungus may already be several metres from the original moisture source.
Effective treatment always begins with eliminating the water. Cutting out timber without fixing the leak or ventilation defect simply feeds the next outbreak. We establish the moisture route, expose the full extent of the growth, remove infected timber with an appropriate margin, treat adjoining masonry and replace structural elements with pre-treated timber.
Common signs
- ✓ Deep cuboidal cracking across the grain of timber
- ✓ White cotton-wool mycelium or grey strands behind skirting
- ✓ Rust-coloured spore dust settling on nearby surfaces
- ✓ A pancake-shaped fruiting body with an orange centre
- ✓ A strong damp, mushroom-like smell in cellars or under floors
Likely causes
- • Long-standing plumbing or roof leaks
- • Blocked sub-floor ventilation and airbricks
- • Penetrating damp at cellar heads and bay window junctions
- • Timber built into damp masonry without a barrier
- • Poorly ventilated voids in period properties