What Are the Signs of Dry Rot?

As with any other problem within a home, dry rot will show signs of itself visible to any homeowner. Unfortunately, most of these signs are only there once the problem has gotten out of hand. Here are a few signs to be on the lookout for: 

• Appearance 

Wood affected by dry rot will leave large cracks in the wood it’s taken over. The wood will show something called a mycelium growth, or large white sheets. When exposed to light, the fungus will have a yellowish tinge. As the other name suggests, it’ll have a brown tinge to it, hence the name “brown rot.” 

Once dry rot takes over, wood will start to flake and crumble at the touch. It’ll crumble because the dry rot starts to eat at the timber, taking away its structural integrity.  

• Other Than Appearance 

Other than the color and the dry appearance, the fungus that causes dry rot will sometimes turn into mushroom-like bodies. These will grow on any plaster or paint instead of the wood itself since it’s challenging to see dry, flaking wood beneath the paint. 

Dry rot will hurt the structural integrity of the wood it’s infested. This is something that may be more difficult to see outside of exposed basement walls or attics, but once the dry rot has had a chance to spread, it’s something that can get found with the naked eye.