info@debrette.co.uk
What is wet rot?
And what causes it?
Wet rot, otherwise known as damp rot, is a fungi that attacks damp timber, consuming it from the inside outward. It is caused by a high moisture content in wood.
There are a variety of different wet rot fungi and they require high levels of moisture to thrive. Timber that is subjected to penetrating damp or is in a damp wall will rot if the moisture content is over 20%.
Wet rot has a root system (mycelium) which spreads in a different way to dry rot. A wet rot outbreak tends to be far more localised than with dry rot. Most of our wet rot treatments take place in floors.
This photograph shows the underside of a kitchen floor. The decay having been caused by a leaking washing machine. The white fern like growth in the top right hand corner of the picture is covering one of the floor joists and is very different from the growth associated with dry rot fungus.
This photograph shows a section of floor joist which has been attacked by wet rot. It is interesting to see that the wet rot has eaten away at the middle of the wood leaving an unscathed appearance to the side. You can also note the small cuboidal cracking of the rotten wood.