Following the failure of a sump pump, a basement used for storage had flooded to a depth of approximately 150mm. The pump was replaced and the basement left to dry out. Several months later rusty-red dust was noticed on the staircase. Further investigation revealed fungal growth on masonry and timbers. We were instructed to determine the cause of the problem.
Rusty-red dust is often an indication of dry rot (Serpula lacrymans). The dust is in fact spores indicating a mature sporophore (or fruiting body) has burst. The spores are effectively seeds with the potential to create new outbreaks of dry rot.
On entering the basement we found the outbreak of dry rot to be extensive. Mycelium had affected timber door frames and spread through the wall structure to the underside of the staircase, where a large sporophore was present.
Due to the severity of the dry rot attack it was clear a significant amount of remedial work would be required. This included the removal of large sections of infected brickwork and sterilisation of the remaining wall areas. The tiled floor beneath the stairs was replaced with treated concrete and the staircase itself renewed. The floor to the room directly above the basement was also replaced including all new floor joists.
As the original cause of the flooding was a failure of the sump pump, a new pumping system was installed which included a powerful electric primary pump and a supporting battery back-up pump. The battery back-up pump featured automatic switching and recharging. An alarm was also installed to alert the occupants in the event of primary pump failure.
Once completed, the dry rot treatment was guaranteed through the Guarantee Protection Trust for a period of 20 years.
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