Without a doubt the most insidious of all troubles that affect buildings, causing considerable
damage before becoming evident. The first signs of a major attack will often be structural
collapse of a section of apparently sound timber.
Uniquely Serpula has the ability to conduct moisture to the timber which would normally be
considered too dry to become attacked. Equally, in breaking down the cellulose, water and
carbon dioxide are formed, this water again assists the attack. The hyphae and mycelium which
conduct this moisture can penetrate relatively dry brickwork and masonry, thus carrying the
infestation to other areas.
Whilst Wet Rot is a less well developed fungus it is possibly surprising to learn that it
has been calculated that the national annual cost of repairs due to Wet Rot is twenty times
that of Dry Rot. Timber attacked by Wet Rot is generally dark in colour and shows signs of
longitudinal cracking. Being a localised fungus it is incapable of penetrating brickwork.
Wet Rot requires high moisture content and rarely forms a fruit body in buildings. Also under
the heading of Wet Rot is included amongst others, PORIA VAILLANTI (MINE FUNGUS)
DRY ROT SERPULA LACRYMANS
WET ROT CONIOPHORA PUTEANA 
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