During the rainy season on the Central Coast, there are rainbows in the sky and magic in the air, if you consider dry rot spores “magic.” This fungus will seriously damage your home’s health if left untreated, but what exactly is dry rot?
Here in the Central Coast, the cool ocean breezes that we all enjoy brings moisture to otherwise dry areas. Our coastal views bring pros and cons. When these ocean breezes blow around, they bring moisture into your home, and with moisture comes dry rot.
Despite being named dry rot, this fungus actually needs between 20-30% moisture levels to grow, so it usually appears in areas near faulty plumbing or in homes that are affected by excessive moisture such as coastal residences. This misnomer for the rot was introduced back when wooden ships would be stored on land during winter and rot despite being out of the water, hence “dry rot”.
Dry rot begins its life cycle as a fungal spore floating through the air. These spores inundate our atmosphere, so it is incredibly common for the fungus to start a colony in the right conditions: your home!
Once the spores find sufficiently moist wood they germinate and begin to colonize the damp wood. They begin to grow strands of fungal material called hyphae, which act as the roots of the fungal fiend. As the fungus spreads, it eats the wood surrounding it to grow into its next stage.
When enough of these hyphae have grown, the fungal mass is called a mycelium, which eventually sends more spores into the atmosphere so the cycle can continue. By the time a fruiting body has been established, the wood the fungus has infected will be crumbly in appearance and extremely weak.
Stopping a dry rot infestation before it can release more spores is crucial because this prevents the rot from destroying an entire area. When your home’s health is compromised by dry rot, it is only a matter of time until the structural integrity suffers a serious break.
For most coastal homes, it is not a question of if dry rot will infiltrate your home, but when. At R+Co., we specialize in professional dry rot removal using cutting edge technology to eliminate all stages of dry rot infestation and keep your home healthy and rot free.
Understanding your enemy is half the battle, and using a complete knowledge of the enemy that eats your home right under your nose is the key to winning. Even with knowing how to identify dry rot by yourself, a professional assessment is always the best way to keep your home healthy.
