Do I have dry rot?

[mogwai82]

Hi all,

I've just bought a basement flat in a converted victorian building (1850s-ish). It's got a raised timber floor, but the surveyor flagged up it's ventilation as inadequate and I'm also less than impressed with the amount of air bricks I can see from outside - only ones I know allowing air under the floor are about 3 under the front door and there is 1 other air brick I can see out the back. This is for a floor area of about 60sq. m. / 680sq. ft.

There was also a leak from a soil pipe on the outside which appears to have caused damp and damage to the walls of the bathroom. Also the bath has a bad seal and I think the overflow pipe was disconnected.

So I've taken the side of the bath off to have a peek and I was relieved at least to not see the typical images of dry rot - cotton wool like growth, dark red patches with white or those 'tear-drop' things. Still I did discover some dry, powdery balls of fungus - bit like dry expanding foam or immersion tank insulation but gray/light-brown in colour. Looked a little like a dried out truffle. The wood is also a bit little soft and vein-y under the bath legs, but not cubed and brittle.

I'll try and upload an image of what I found and would love someone with more experience to give a opinion about whether I should call the experts in.

Cheers!

View media item 54479 View media item 54480

 

[joe-90]

Just looks like a bit of wet rot to me. Give it a good spray with fungicide. If the wood is knackered then replace where necessary.

 

[mogwai82]

Thanks Joe, after a bit more searching online for examples of dry & wet rot, it does look more like wet rot to me. I'm letting it dry out with the side off the bath and I think I'll pick up some fungicide and give it a spray to be on the safe side.

Cheers!

 

[dann09]

I agree with joe up to a point:

1. OP, you have provided a number of details that indicate a more thorough inspection is called for.
2. If you want to pursue it further, come back here.

 

[mogwai82]

Hi all,

dann09: Thanks for a second opinion. I feel ok about it at the moment, it looks and feels ok to me at the moment, but I'll be getting damp specialists in to do some rising damp work (in other parts of the flat) and will get their opinion on it then - I should get a professional opinion.

More worrying however was a discovery I made today in the ceiling of the floor above in the communal stairwell on the wall that had water penetration from a damaged external waste pipe.

Here's a picture:

View media item 56841
Anyone know? Really hope it's not, but it is a rusty red colour. Not much white fluffyness with it, which might be good, but I'm only going on images I've seen online and descriptions I've read.

Thanks!

 

[gregers]

bad news there m8,looks like good ole serpular lacrymans to me.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=s...lAemB4ATz2YDoBA&ved=0CDsQsAQ&biw=1600&bih=754

 

[dann09]

OP, you would have done well to wait on calling in damp and timber "professionals", and followed your original intention to gain a little insight into whats what on here.

1. "rising damp work" - basements, typically, have penetrating damp, not rising damp.

2. Perhaps scan a sketched floorplan of the flat showing "damaged" areas, and include the latest pic mushroom ( dry rot ) location. Annotate your sketch with past and present pipework and leaks etc.

3. The "dried out truffle" in the bath area sounds like redundant dry rot. Squirting a little chemical will not work.

4. Your bath tub feet are sitting on plates and flooring that should be be opened up for inspection.

5. Basement wood floor joists should be suspended 150mm min. above the concrete slab and be well ventilated - is this the position with your basement floor? How is it ventilated? Is there a musty smell in the flat?

6. Do not attempt to grasp any cheap and seemingly easy "solution", and delay any D&T company work until you thoroughly understand what they intend to do and why?

7. Penetrating damp, lack of ventilation, and various leaks might have contributed to your present condition.

8. It's possible that all the flats in the property and all communal areas req. an Independent D&T surveyor to inspect and give a verbal explanation and a written report.