Wet Rot & Dry Rot Reports

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.

One of the main differences between wet rot and dry rot is that wet rot needs a higher moisture content to grow. Wet rot fungus likes to grow on timber with a high moisture content of around 50% and above while for dry rot to grow it will germinate at a lower timber moisture content of around 20% to 30%.

Dry rot occurs when airborne spores come into contact with damp timber that has a moisture content of over 20%. These spores then germinate and sprout hyphae strands. The hyphae grow into mycelium which covers the timber in a thick cotton-wool like substance. The fungus eats the wood and sucks the moisture from it, leaving it weakened. The fungus then advances into a fruiting body known as sporophore which sprouts more spores to continue the life cycle.

Dry rot spores develop into the wood-destroying fungus as a result of damp timber and the fungus thrives in moist, damp, poorly ventilated conditions. There are many reasons why timber could be damp in the home, including penetrating damp, condensation, leaking pipes, faulty drainage, broken roof tiles, or a leaking washing machine, and thus creating the ideal environment for fungi growth.