Dry rot is the biggest concern with any damp property and therefore should be considered in every single damp survey. Dr rot is especially virulent in London, by contrast Rising Damp is not an issue in London and ground water is pumped out.
Dry rot spores
Dr rot pores are omnipresent, that is the micro seeds are everywhere, in the air that we breath, up to the height planes fly. The reasons dry rot is so dangerous is;
- Dry Rot a brown rot, therefore only the cellulose is consumed, resulting in cuboidal cracking, across the grains, as well as along the grain, dramatically reducing the strength of timber.
- Dry Rot is the only rot that thrives on and grows across non-timber materials, such as bricks.
- Dry Rot is one of the better rots at recycling water, the by-product of respiration, so as to increase humidity in voids.
If you have a void, such as below the timber floor, and an initial source of water, such as excess humidity condensing on a cold water pipe, then there is a good chance you will get dry rot.
Here is a great Dry Rot survey carried out recently by Damp Surveys.