UKC

Does anyone have any recommendations of products for prevention and treatment of dry rot?

I had a problem with dry rot in some of the roof timbers of my house. I've had the roof replaced completely as it was built by a cowboy and not up to the job.
Despite the roof now being dry and the new timbers being treated I'm now a bit paranoid about it returning and was considering a backup approach of spraying everything in the surrounding area.

In reply to gethin_allen:

If the timbers are treated they will be ok. the fungus actually lives in the wood so eliminating the potential of a resurgence is only possible by not allowing the conditions it likes - moisture and warmth. it requires around 20% moisture and a temp of around 20-22deg C but it will withstand up to 26 deg. I've read that treatment of timbers and mortar with a solution of alpha-aminoisobutyric acid is rather effective and it non-toxic to the environment too.

take a read of this:

http://www.plants.ox.ac.uk/plants/Content/Watkinso/Serpula%20lacrymans,%20w...

In reply to higherclimbingwales:
I know that in theory if the moisture levels are low then the fungus shouldn't grow and that treated timber should be fine, but I'm concerned about the other timber in the house as much as anything as this is unlikely to be treated to modern standards.
I'm just not sure what is on the market regarding treatments. A concentrated solution of Sodium tetraborate (Borax) in Ethylene glycol (sold as boracol in the USA) is supposed to be good and relatively low toxicity but you can't buy it in the UK because of concerns about borax.

I know a little about the organism itself as coincidentally my boss has me working on it in the lab at the moment and most ironically I'm struggling to get it to grow properly in lab conditions.

In reply to higherclimbingwales:

Just had a quick look at that link and we are currently collaborating one of the co-authors who now works in Swansea university.

In reply to gethin_allen:

I wouldn't worry too much. Dry rot is only really a problem if you are not able to see it develop i.e. a vacant property. It will become obvious (smell, fruiting bodies) well before serious damage is done.

In reply to gethin_allen:

Sometimes it is worth paying for someone to spray it who can give an insurance backed guarantee, though obviously you will pay a premium.

If it comes back you would be insured, also if you sell the house in the next 20 years you have some paperwork, which the purchasers surveyor would probably ask for if they know there have been rot/ woodworm issues.

It can be notoriously difficult to eradicate, however new timber tends to be much more resistant due to improved pressure treating methods, so if its an entirely new roof you should be ok.

In reply to gethin_allen:

Having lived in a house with dry rot I am of the belief that once the cause has been eliminated then the fungus simply dies off. Of course the spoors will be everywhere but it can only infest in damp wood so having got your roof sorted that should be the end of the problem.

I wouldn't be too worried about the spoors either I seem to recall research which demonstrated that a cubic metre of air contained spoors of millions of fungi, ferns and so on.