Dry Rot: How it can Destroy a Property

Dry rot can cause widespread structural damage. Left untreated, the fungus (Serpula lacrymans) can devastate a building and seriously jeopardise the safety of the people living in it.

Dry rot is characterised by its cotton-wool like appearance and in more severe cases orange or red coloured spores.

This wood-destroying fungus feeds off the cellulose in the timber in order to grow and spread. But it also has the ability to spread across numerous building materials.

In this short video, John shows us, up close, exactly what dry rot looks like and the devastation it has caused to an apartment block in the Staffordshire Moorlands area.

0:55 What dry rot looks like
1:40 The devastation caused by dry rot
2:04 What you can do to help identify wood rot and damp
3:15 The subsequent effects of wood rot

In this shocking scenario, the owners of the affected apartment and the owners of the one below have been forced to move out because the building has been rendered unsafe.

The BIG man also explains what you can do before buying a property to help identify any instances of dry rot and to ensure you don't inherit a major problem.

IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER:
Dry rot (or brown rot as it is also known) CANNOT SPREAD WITHOUT WATER. Thus, removing the source of the water or damp usually removes the core of the problem.

In this case, however, removing the affected wood involves removing the actual floorboards and supporting joists, hence the reason the property is no longer safe to live in.

In less destructive instances, specialist treatments such as effective fungicide courses and masonry sterilisation may be necessary in order to help contain the spread of the dry rot.

If you're concerned that you may have dry rot or wood rot in your home, here's a couple of things you can try:

1. Finger test: Literally prod the wood with your index finger. If it feels soft, decay may be present. If you do this simple test with a small tool like a screwdriver and it sinks into the wood without persuasion, rot may be forming.

2. Appearance test: Dig out a small section of the wood with a knife, screwdriver or something suitable. If the wood is healthy, it will remain in tact and produce a long linear splint. If it's rotten, it will crumble when you rub it between your fingers.

Needles to say, be careful not to give yourself a splinter when carrying out the tests!

#dryrot #woodrot #damp

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[jimgeelan]

Very good explanation of the problem and great video coverage of the damage
( you do look better with a hat on ) 😂

[Mattukb]

Top video. What damp meter did you use on previous video (gable end damp). Thanks.