Serpula lacrymans / Dry Rot

The Dry Rot or Serpula Lacrymans, what is it?

The Dry Rot or Serpula Lacrymans, is known as the most harmful fungus for the building. Commonly referred to as building cancer, it can be responsible for significant damage to the lumber of buildings by decomposing it with disconcerting speed. The Dry Rot is generally associated with the degradation of materials already in a state of decay. On the other hand, once this one is well established, we saw it degrading without distinction, recent structural materials whose conditions would not have been favorable to the decomposition by other types of mushrooms. Our experience in the field has allowed us to see the ravages caused by this mushroom, its roots crossing without problems stone foundation walls and mortar or brick walls. We were able to see the rapid growth of this fungus, it can extend over several meters in a crawl space for example, without anyone noticing inside the living spaces of the building.

Inspection of the Dry Rot

Our team of experts in mold and fungus research has already done several dozen building inspections over the last 12 years to identify and confirm the damage caused by Dry Rot. Our expertise and know-how allow us to carry out a complete investigation of the affected building with the objective of establishing a detailed intervention plan in order to eradicate this building cancer and preserve your property. Together with decontamination companies specializing in this type of intervention, we have completed several dozen projects. We have developed several legal studies for hidden defects procedures to identify the extent of the damage caused by Dry Rot and the necessary intervention work. We have contributed to the success of our clients in a Québec Superior Court trial concerning major damage to their building caused by this fungus.

We also participated in a report devoted to La Mérule pleureuse for La Facture, broadcast on Radio-Canada on September 22, 2015. The reportage report on Dry Rot. La facture reportage sur la Mérule pleureuse (french only). Patrick Champagne, an expert in indoor air quality at our Blainville office, was the expert interviewed.

Laboratory analyzes to identify the Dry Rot

In general, when in the presence of this fungus, it is not uncommon to have very high spore concentrations in the ambient air and on the surfaces of the materials and objects inside the building. The red to rusty brown spores are found in such a high concentration that they can very well be seen with the naked eye.

The taking of ambient and surface air samples, followed by independent laboratory analyzes, allows us to accurately identify the presence of spore of this pest fungus in order to quickly establish an intervention plan to slow the progression of the fungus. and allow its total eradication. A technique also allows DNA identification of the fungus to avoid any error in the nature of the fungus. This technique of anlayse of the Serpula Lacrymans or other lignivorous fungus by qPCR is offered by ACE Laboratoires. We have repeatedly confirmed the presence of Merule while other laboratories identified the fungus as a basidiomycete in a general category, a lack of precision that can have devastating effects for the building.