Is this dry rot? Damp can be a major issue in the home. Find answers to questions or post your own here.

[Tilly]

Hi guys

I wonder if someone can shed some light on this please. This week loads of fungus started popping up along my skirting boards. It covers the space of about 4metres and seems to be spreading at an alarming rate! It stinks of mushrooms which is how I first realised it was there. I live in a rented property and the LL has checked it and says he thinks it is dry rot and will send his builder mate round on Friday to have a look. I showed some other people the pics and some say its not dry rot ( one was a builder) and others say it definately is ( including a Dry Rot Specialist over the phone) Im worried about the spores too as I have to very little children, 1 being 4months old. Its in my dining room and living room so we spend all day in here. I know there is a damp problem along the whole of that wall, upstairs too as the cupboard is FULL of black colour mould which just grows straight back if you wash it off.

Its so annoying as the Landlord says just dont put anything on that wall at all which means I cant use the whole of that side of the house! Mould has ruined books, clothes & toys.

LL's idea was to rip off the skirtings, paint it with something and then put new ones on. The specialist who I spoke to on th phone yesterday said this wont work because it could be in the mortar and needs to be done properly by someone who knows what they're doing. LL's builder mate certainly isn't that so we'll probably end up with new skirtings and that will be it. But we shall see.

If anyone can tell me what it is, or what it looks like I'd really appreciate it. Thankyou :)

Pics below, sorry if they're huge













behind the skirting

[welsh brickie]

Forget the Landlord call the enviromental health officer at your local council that is a serious infestation.And a threat to your health

[Tilly]

is it dry rot do you know or just something else?

[welsh brickie]

is it dry rot do you know or just something else?

I dont think its dry rot,dry rot looks more like tentacles,but thats a severe infestation I havent seen it that bad before..

[bimbam]

I'm as certain as I can be that it is a very serious case of dry rot. If you stick a screwdriver into the skirting it will probably go through like a knife through butter and then crumble to dust. You need to get the landlord in as any structural timbers in the building are under threat and it will almost certainly have spread to areas you cannot see. It can spread via brick like your specialist said and it can spread pretty fast. If not properly treated and any affected timbers not cut out and replaced the floor could collapse - surely the landlord would be bothered about that. If he does treat it properly, this is, unfortunately, likely to be very disruptive to you.