"The Natural Philosopher" wrote in message
...
Rusty wrote:

I would nopt be so drastic. My old house was full of rot when I took it
down, but it was confined to areas that had existing damp problems.

Once you get the damp out, the rot dies. Just make good as you see fit,
but pay 110% attention to damp.


Isn't this confusing wet rot with dry rot. Dry rot brings its own
moisture in from its roots just like ivy, hence the name.

It does not.

Wet rot can only survive
in damp and will die when the moisture goes.

As wiul 'dry'

Dry is called dry because it leaves a superficially dry powdery residue
rather than wet rot which leads to sponginness and superficially damp
appearances.


I found my dry rot specimen thriving in a thin void where cement render
and bricks had separated due to poor adhesion, and growing from next door
through a crack in the brick work. Conditions were desert dry but it
had almost reached my ceiling joists.. After cuprinol dry rot treatment
it hasn't reappeared since 1989 so I hope its gone.


If it was growing they were not dry.


Well OK, a fine distinction. Moisture must be ultimately necessary.
Wet rot needs local moisture and isn't mobile through dry parts.
Dry rot can carry moisture from any wood it has infected through its
tendrils which can grow for many metres through arid conditions in search of
more damp wood. So it's highly mobile Also I believe it doubles up on
this creeper propagation by throwing off spores from the white candy floss
effect, but I never had this.

rusty