Wet Rot

Wet rot is caused by a range of different fungi, including Coniophora puteana and Poria vaillantii. It typically affects softwood and thrives in damp conditions, but unlike dry rot, it does not spread through masonry or plaster.

Wet rot sustains itself by feeding on the moisture and nutrients from timber but can also cause decay in plaster, wallpaper and carpets. Wet rot spreads by systematically feeding on wood and then emitting spores into the atmosphere in the hope of landing on a fresh wet wood surface that it can feed on.

Compared to dry rot, wet rot is less destructive as wet rot remains confined to the wet area only but still needs to be treated as it can affect a building’s structural integrity.