"Tim S" wrote in message
...
Hi all,

Lots of work at the Bungalow today. All went well, until this,
though:

http://photos.dionic.net/v/public/bungalow/mushroom/

Wonder if the phots are enough for someone to be able to cast an
opinion on
whether it's dry or wet rot?

These are the timbers underneath a lead flat roof, on the side of
the
building (which is otherwise hipped roofed).

Looks more like wet rot to me - but how can I be sure it's not dry
rot?

If it's wet rot, then I can replace the visible section of wall
plate and
one flat roof rafter (which is separate to the main roof rafters)
and one
ceiling joist.

If it's dry rot, then I'm scared... Presumably that means new flat
roof
time, due to having to cut back 2-3 feet from the affected areas?


More background:

I didn't see any "cotton wool" nor fruiting bodies. Not sure what
the white
staining is, but it's not hairy.

The neighbour told me that the roof used to be felted, and was
leaded 10-15
years back - presumably there could have been a serious leak then.
It's
generally dry now.

The rafter has rotted completely at the end, and is apparantly all
right,
otherwise *except* that the core has rotted for about another 8"
(needed to
jab a chisel in to discover that).

The wall plate is totally gone a foot either side, but neighbouring
rafters
seem fine. The wall plate has bottom half rot for all the visible
parts,
but on the far left, it's petered down to perhaps only 1/8" is
dodgey.

Looks like the water got into the inner wall leaf, then rotted the
wall
plate from beneath.

The planks supporting the lead seem solid and as you can see, not
problems
at all at the other end, where the main hipped roof rafters sit.

Thanks *very* much in advance

Cheers

Tim

That looks identical to the dry rot fungus I had in my last house
before Rentokil replaced timbers and sprayed. Surpula lacrymans iirc
but it was 25 years ago!

AWEM