Dry rot is considered a menace in the building industry because it is not easy to detect and by the time you discover it, its effects might be too much. In its initial stage of development, the worm requires damp places then it spreads in walls, masonry, and timber.
Its spores are bright with a rusty red color and small in size, it is actually 0.01 mm long. The spores and the fungus are never in the same place, the spores are produced a distance from the fungus itself. By the time the fungus reaches the point where it can be seen, its effects can be felt meters from the away. Deal with it immediately to curb it. Even though it develops in damp places, it spreads through both damp and dry areas.
What to do when you identify it;
* Pull off wall plaster and take out floorboards to have a feel of its damage
* Create some ventilation on the floorboards if it does not have some.
* If you notice any infested wood, cut out the infected area up to 18 inches around it.
* If realize that one side of the wall is affected, examine the other side to see if it is also affected.
* Since the fungus like to grow in walls, remove all wall plaster that has signs of infection. Dispose all the infected wood safely.
* Clean the uninfected woodwork, brickwork or plaster. Use a brush to remove any loose piece of wood and mortar. To eliminate the effects of the fungus, spray with a high quality fungicide.
* Apply a generous amount of wood preservative on the remaining wood to protect it from re-occurrence of dry rot in Edinburgh.
Dry rot is a dangerous problem and when eliminating it, you must do a thorough job. We do not take dry rot in Edinburgh lightly at Richardson and Starling.