Review : Dry Rot and Other Wood-Destroying Fungi: Their Occurrence, Biology, Pathology and Control

Abstract

Microbial biodeterioration of building materials and their contents in both modern and historic buildings is attrib uted to changes in the building environment. The main environmental parameters favouring the decay of mate rials and contents are water, humidity, temperature and lack of ventilation. The damage caused by biological agents is very familiar, as is the destruction arising from attempts to eradicate them by the use of chemicals, which not only are a cause for concern to health authori ties, wildlife interests and environmentalists, but also lead to the development of resistance in the target organisms. Correct identification of the deteriogen mate rial is important as not all deteriogens are equally de structive. Some rots and insects are present in timber when it is cut, or are acquired in storage, and these may be present in heartwood or sapwood. Fungal or insect infestation may also be dead or dormant, representing conditions in the past. Environmental control and pre ventative maintenance are preferable to chemical means. Buildings work as spatial environmental systems and must be understood as a whole. They separate the occupants from the external environment, thus creating a different internal environment for the occupants. The causes of decay in materials and structures are in fluenced by the internal building environment which has a varied microclimate depending upon structural aspects of the building. Preventative maintenance should in most cases forestall the need for major interventions, and it is beyond doubt that it reduces the cost of the con servation of buildings. Since the internal environment of a building is the product of a number of influences, it is advisable to study in detail the ecological factors such as temperature, humidity at the micro-environment levels and the response and performance of the building before undertaking an intervention involving any building. Con tinuous monitoring of the environment in buildings en sures the long-term health of both building materials and overall structures.