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- 20 Mar 2016
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I live in a terraced house (approx. 100 years old) and I've found some Dry Rot (mould with rusty coloured centre) coming out of the adjoining brick wall between my neighbour's property and mine. I cannot however find any infected wood. I've stripped back all the plaster, wood, etc. right to the external and adjoining wall. I've also been and checked my neighbour's house who does not have any sign of it. I'm no expert but it was my belief that Dry Rot needs wood to feed on and shouldn't be able to grow on mortar. I'm at a loss to think where the Dry rot may be feeding.
The rot is in the corner of the house where there was originally a press cupboard so has affected one wall which is external to the rear of the property and the other which is the adjoining wall to the neighbour.
There has been a bit of rot in a joist and in the lintel above the press cupboard which I am getting replaced but I think that was wet rot as didn't have any of the cracking associated with dry rot. All other wood I can see looks pretty sound.
There had also been some leaking in the roof above the area affected which has been repaired. The pointing was also repaired in the portion of the external wall that was damp and is slowly drying out. (This is taking ages as it is the external sandstone wall and it never stops raining in Scotland!) The only thing I can think of where water could still get in is the chimney flue. One of these has not been capped and the fireplaces have not been vented where they were blocked up. Could this be the source of the Dry Rot?
I've searched for rotten wood round the affected area to a distance of a couple of metres; should I be looking further away as well? All the strands from the rot seem to be coming from the adjoining wall. Does it sometimes travel in circuitous routes?
I would be very grateful for any help/suggestions people could give as it's driving me crazy!
The rot is in the corner of the house where there was originally a press cupboard so has affected one wall which is external to the rear of the property and the other which is the adjoining wall to the neighbour.
There has been a bit of rot in a joist and in the lintel above the press cupboard which I am getting replaced but I think that was wet rot as didn't have any of the cracking associated with dry rot. All other wood I can see looks pretty sound.
There had also been some leaking in the roof above the area affected which has been repaired. The pointing was also repaired in the portion of the external wall that was damp and is slowly drying out. (This is taking ages as it is the external sandstone wall and it never stops raining in Scotland!) The only thing I can think of where water could still get in is the chimney flue. One of these has not been capped and the fireplaces have not been vented where they were blocked up. Could this be the source of the Dry Rot?
I've searched for rotten wood round the affected area to a distance of a couple of metres; should I be looking further away as well? All the strands from the rot seem to be coming from the adjoining wall. Does it sometimes travel in circuitous routes?
I would be very grateful for any help/suggestions people could give as it's driving me crazy!