How to spot the signs of dry rot in your home
Dry rot is a real problem. Despite only germinating in certain environmental conditions, it plagues a good number of homes in the UK. We certainly see it more often than we’d like.
Watching out for any signs of dry rot is imperative because the earlier you catch it, the less damage it will do. In the meantime, ensure you have good ventilation throughout your house and repair any holes or leaks immediately.
Here are a few signs of dry rot to look out for in your home.
Is dry rot dangerous for a building?
In a word, yes. Although it takes some time to develop into a significant issue, dry rot can be a real problem. It spreads surprisingly quickly (much faster than wet rot) and can cause considerable damage before you even realise it.
Dry rot (the Serpula lacrymans fungus) was first truly documented in old boatyards, where it’s thought to have got its name. During winter, boats were hauled out of the water and stored in ‘dry docks’ for maintenance and repair. After finding the fungus to have grown even in these conditions, workers apparently named it dry rot – as in, rot that spreads even in dry conditions.
In reality, this isn’t true. Spores can germinate on a damp piece of wood in relative humidities down to about 20% or 30%. However, they’ll continue growing as long as the wood remains damp. The fungus spreads as it consumes the timber’s fibres and water content, searching for more wet wood. This is how it grows and becomes a severe problem so quickly.
Dry rot typically grows in the dark, damp parts of your home. The very nature of this means it’s difficult to spot before it spreads to a severe level, forming a high-risk hazard.
What are the physical signs of the presence of dry rot?
Dry rot grows in four distinct stages:
- Spores from a fruiting body (sporophore) float through the air and land on a damp piece of wood.
- If the conditions are right, they germinate, forming hyphae. These look like thin white or grey strands.
- The hyphae develop into a mycelium, a bigger clump of fluffy, wool-like material. This is what spreads and searches for more damp wood to consume.
- Finally, a new sporophore grows, producing a new round of spores.
And the cycle continues. Watch out for the following physical signs of dry rot. These are all based on the growth process:
- When a large collection of dry rot spores fall in the same place, it looks like a fine red or orange powder. They’ll probably be near the sporophores they originated from.
- Sporophores, the fruiting body of Serpula lacrymans, are a crepe-looking structure. Smaller (younger) ones are sometimes lighter in colour. As they grow, they’re more likely to appear red-orange, especially in the bulk of the middle.
- Hyphae are also rather evident. From certain angles, and in some cases, it resembles spider webbing or cobwebs (old spider webs). Distinguish it from these through its flaky nature or the unnaturally white/grey colour and structure as it develops further.
- Mycelia are puffy, airy blobs of fluff. Hyphae eventually lead to the creation of these. They’re usually obviously out of place and, in severe cases, might cover an entire beam or wooden wall. It might be like a bumpy foam coating the material in these instances.
Can a home survey spot dry rot?
If you’re concerned about dry rot in your home (or a property you’re interested in buying), you’ll need to get a timber specialist to investigate the issue properly and recommend the best ways of dealing with it.
However, a RICS home survey can often spot the visible signs of dry rot, and help you decide if you need to investigate further.
A chartered surveyor will carry out a visual inspection of the property in question, according to the RICS home survey standards, and if they suspect dry rot is present, they’ll let you know.
They’ll produce a report (which you’ll receive as a PDF within the next five working days) which includes details of the problem, the likely sources and a suggested remediation plan. As an optional extra, it might also detail the potential repair costs.
We’re based in local teams throughout the South-West, West Midlands and South Wales. Our chartered surveyors know their respective regional markets like the backs of their hands. If you have dry rot in your home, they’ll let find it. They can also help with legal or warranty issues when you find dry rot yourself (for example, identifying the approximate age at which it germinated).
Do you need a home survey? If so, contact us through the form below for a commitment-free, friendly chat about how we can help. We can’t wait to hear from you.
