Dry rot and black mould in neighbouring terraced property

[Rainbows]

Hello, does anyone know if dry rot and black mould could spread from a terraced property into the houses next door?

If so, what ways could this be?
Could it spread via brickwork? Roof timbers? Plasterwork? Concrete floors etc?

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.

 

[KenGMac]

Rainbows, good evening.

Short answer is yes, Dry Rot can spread " Sideways" and up and down between properties.

It is called "Dry" rot because it has the ability to "transport" water [which it needs to survive] into an dry area where the timber is attacked.

This is a devastating insidious problem if not eradicated.

It can / will find ways to get through brick walls, especially below floors where the mortar may have deteriorated or indeed fallen out in areas.

Look for white / of-white strands, from hair like diameter to [at times] larger than your little finger.

The "black mould" will possibility be due to dampness??

Did you attempt to upload an Image?

 

[Rainbows]

Thank you so much for replying. It's in my neighbour's house. I have not seen it but have been told about it and I am worried sick. His partner has become very ill due to it and has left the house after living there for two years (the owner has lived with it for years). I asked the question as I am worried about is spreading into my property and is going to cause health problems for me also. It has been like it for years but I didn't know until last week. It is the cellar and the roof, everywhere really.

 

[KenGMac]

Rainbows, good evening, again.

First, i have never, never ever heard of medical Conditions arising from the presence of Dry Rot. OK i imagine that someone somewhere may be affected? but, VERY, VERY rare ! ! !

You mention that the adjacent property has an infestation of D/Rot and it has been on-going for years?

Can I be [blunt] are you sure that it is indeed D/Rot? i am not disbelieving you at all, just D/Rot spreads, in all directions fast in good conditions for it to spread? I have seen slow spreads in a four story high Glasgow Tenement where on all four floors there was visual evidence of D/Rot, generally hidden in corners, and skirting s that begin to disintegrate with the paint still intact ?

Suggest you have a look on the WWW for what D/Rot looks like, loads of "eradication" companies with horror images.

Ken

 

[Rainbows]

Hi Ken
Thank you for your reply. I haven't actually seen it. I have just been told about it.
Can the black mould spread into adjacent properties like the dry rot? I am worried about the spores from this as I know it can be very dangerous.
Thank you

 

[KenGMac]

Rainbows, good evening, again.

Black mould is a sure indication of dampness / a wet building fabric, it does not "emit" spores, however living in a "Damp" environment for a protracted period is definitely bad for ones health, dampness can release chemical normally contained in the fabric of the building, but this last scenario tends to be contained to older properties. for example. old red "flock" wall paper contained a deadly chemical as I recall it was Arsenic, but that was a wall paper used centuries ago

As far as spores from one property entering another, very, very limited, OK odors from cooking can permeate, but that is a gaseous transfer

Yes Dry Rot does from time to time produce spores, I have seen it [about] three times in 30 years? the D/Rot forms a so called Fruiting Body, from which millions and millions of rust coloured spores are emitted, in an empty property all surfaces can be covered in this rusty coloured material, not a health hazard either.

Ken.

 

[Rainbows]

Hi Ken
Thank you so much for the reply. It is much appreciated. I have attached some photos of the brickwork in my cellar. Are you able to shed any light on what is going on with the bricks. In the first one the mortar appears to be crumbling and on the others the brickwork appears to be flaking.
Thank you.

 

[Munroast]

all looks very normal to me, looks like someone has painted it sometime in the past and it is now flaking off due to the dampness in the bricks (if it is in a cellar then the bricks will be a bit damp, thats normal)

 

[Rainbows]

Thank you