Dry rot in your home (2024)

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Dry rot in your home (1)

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    Rotten luck – how to deal with dry rot

    Serpula lacrymans. No, not a Harry Potter spell, it's the scientific term for something homeowners dread – dry rot.

    Dry rot has a way of appearing without your knowledge, only revealing itself when it's almost too late to prevent serious damage to your home's timbers. Read on for tips on identifying and treating it.

    Dry rot in your home (2)

    What is dry rot?

    Dry rot is a type of wood decay, where the fungus Serpula lacrymans attacks and digests the surface of timber in a building.

    Despite the name, it only affects damp wood. In an enclosed dry environment – your home – the timbers that form the floors and roof usually have a moisture content between 9 and 16%. When the moisture content is higher than 21% for a long period the timber then becomes prone to fungal or insect attack.

    So as well as discovering dry rot, it's important to find the source of the increased moisture before any treatment. Look for signs of rising damp, areas of poor ventilation, leaking pipes, plus broken gutters and drainpipes outside. Less obvious is a damaged damp course in an external wall.

    The cause of the moisture should be repaired immediately, and affected rooms dried out by heating and ventilation. You'll then need to work out the extent of the dry rot by removing floorboards around the area, and any wall plaster where a structural timber, such as a floor joist, is embedded in a wall.

    The stages of dry rot

    1. Spores – Dry rot fungus exists almost everywhere as spores in the air. It's pretty harmless until it comes into contact with timber that has a high moisture content..
    2. Hyphae – When the spores land on the moist timber, it'll grow as hyphae, cobweb-like strands that start to break down the timber.
    3. Mycelium – As the hyphae grows, they merge and spread as a cotton-wool like substance called mycelium.
    4. Fruiting body – At the final stage of dry rot, the fungus takes on a mushroom-like mass. This starts to produce new red spores that become airborne and lead to quicker spreading of dry rot around your home.

    What does dry rot look like?

    Signs of dry rot to look out for include:

    • A distinct musty, damp smell.
    • The appearance of the cobweb-like hyphae and cotton-wool like mycelium.
    • Deep cracks in the wood.
    • Darkening of the wood.

    What are the consequences of dry rot?

    Dry rot can affect the stability of a building which is dependent on the infected structural timbers. This will be more expensive to fix if left too long.

    The cause of dry rot could also have an impact on your family's health. As well as a higher level of dampness in the home, the spores can affect people with breathing conditions, with babies and older people particularly vulnerable.

    How to treat dry rot

    After evaluating the problem and solving the cause, you'll need to dry out the affected timbers. Some of the damaged timbers may need to be replaced, and you'll likely have to call in a professional when they structurally support parts of your building. If the building is listed, do contact your local council conservation officer before removing any woodwork.

    What's the difference between wet rot and dry rot

    You might think to yourself, 'wet rot, dry rot – it's all the same', but they are slightly different, and how you should treat them too. But both conditions occur in timber with a high moisture content and they are both due to fungal decay.

    Wet rot fungi appear in persistently wet conditions, where the timber has a moisture content of 50 to 60%. So think of that rotten garden fence or gate post. The fungus will stop growing when the source of moisture is tackled or the timber is treated against damp.

    Is dry rot covered by insurance?

    Dry rot is a general exclusion for most insurers. If the dry rot can be proven to be the fault of bad building work – like, for example, botched plumbing – you might be able to claim back some of the costs.

    It's always wise to contact your insurer to let them know about the problem anyway, and they'll let you know if you're covered for certain costs.

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  • Dry rot in your home (2024)

    FAQs

    Dry rot in your home? ›

    Dry rot is the most serious form of fungal decay. It attacks the timber in buildings, digesting the parts of the timber that give it its strength. It can spread without any source of moisture because it is able to generate moisture through the digestion of timber.

    Can a house be saved from dry rot? ›

    You could: Chop out all of the decayed wood - This includes spreading a chemical treatment such as fungicide in the area that's showing the rot, then replace the wood. Dry out the wood - Replacing affected timbers and increasing ventilation for the home.

    How can you tell if your house has dry rot? ›

    Identifying Dry Rot

    The affected wood will be brown in colour and will crumble due to a lack of structural integrity as a result of dry rot using the wood as a food source. Ordinarily, the damage is restricted to the wood, however, in some instances, large flat mushroom-like fruiting bodies may also be visible.

    Can a house collapse from dry rot? ›

    The Structure Gets Damaged

    If rotted wood isn't taken care of, permanent structural damage will happen. Your timber—or any other material in your home—will deteriorate and collapse. Buildings can fall apart if they have problems with rotten wood that don't get taken care of immediately.

    What kills dry rot? ›

    Boric acid (borate) is one of the most effective fungicides for use in treating wood rot. It can be applied to wood during construction to prevent future rot, or as a treatment to stop an active decay fungus from growing.

    Does homeowners insurance cover dry rot? ›

    Does Homeowners Insurance Cover Mold or Dry Rot? Homeowners insurance typically doesn't cover mold or fungal growth. If an increase in humidity slowly causes mold and then wood rot, it wouldn't be covered. As well, if your window seals aren't maintained properly and rain gets in, this wouldn't be covered either.

    How do you fix dry rot in your house? ›

    The dry rot repair process has six steps: Remove Dry Rot, Spray Fungicide, Apply Wood Hardener, Replace Damaged Wood with Epoxy, Sand Surface Smooth, Protect with Exterior Acrylic Primer and Paint.

    How serious is dry rot on a house? ›

    Once dry rot spreads, it can severely damage the structural integrity of the building. If you think you may have dry rot, you should arrange for a professional to carry out a survey and treat it as soon as possible.

    Can dry rot make you sick? ›

    If condensation is present, mould spores can be a health problem for people with respiratory issues or any other underlying health conditions. While it is not that common, there are cases where people have allergic reactions to the dry rot fungus so you will need to bear this in mind.

    Does dry rot mean termites? ›

    Like termites, wood rot (also known as dry rot) is caused by a different home invader: mold. These fungi break down logs and other plant life in nature and can unfortunately do the same to your property. Mold thrives in damp environments.

    Does building insurance cover dry rot? ›

    Is dry rot covered by insurance? Dry rot is a general exclusion for most insurers. If the dry rot can be proven to be the fault of bad building work – like, for example, botched plumbing – you might be able to claim back some of the costs.

    What happens if you don't fix dry rot? ›

    These fungi can cause extensive structural damage to a house, leading to declining foundation strength and integrity. Potential buyers might shy away from purchasing a home affected by dry rot due to its significant financial implications.

    Can dry rot spread through concrete? ›

    Dry rot has the capability to travel through brickwork, plaster and even concrete which means it can spread.

    What is the main cause of dry rot? ›

    What causes dry rot? Dry rot occurs when Serpula Lacrymans fungal spores settle on wood with moisture levels in excess of 20%.

    Does vinegar stop dry rot? ›

    Fungicides to defeat brown rot include: baking soda, hydrogen peroxide, tea tree oil, boron solutions, ethylene glycol or propylene glycol, vinegar, etc. Since the dry rot fungus requires an acidic environment from pH 0 to 5.5, certain of these fungicides work because they change the pH.

    Does bleach stop dry rot? ›

    The bleach will kill any fungus that is causing the decay, and you should be all set for years to come. If the spots are deeper than 1/4 inch or so, dig them out to fresh wood, apply bleach, and fill the depressions with an epoxy wood rot filler.

    Is it worth buying a house with dry rot? ›

    It's definitely possible that people will still want to purchase a home that has dry rot (“Selling A House With Dry Rot”). However, since the new owner will have to fix it, the chances of the home selling quickly goes down. The size of the rot damage may play a bigger part in the sale than the actual rot itself.

    Is there a way to reverse dry rot? ›

    Unfortunately, there is no known cure for dry rot outside of early detection. And with how destructive acid is on older goods and collectibles, there likely won't ever be one.

    What happens if dry rot is left untreated? ›

    Spread to Other Building Materials

    While dry rot primarily affects structural timber, if untreated, it can spread to non-wood materials. It isn't uncommon for dry rot to penetrate through brickwork and mortar joints, further exacerbating the damage it causes.

    Can you stop wood rot once it starts? ›

    In some extreme cases you will need to replace the affected timbers. However, in most cases you can stop wet rot by treating the timber with a fungicide. The treatment of wet rot involves applying a fungicide during the drying out period.

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