Different Fungi prefer different ranges of temperature, food source, moisture content and other conditions. It also creates ideal conditions for borer and termite attack.

Did you know that over %70 of residences are affected by fungi?

Sometimes very simple symptoms - mould on your walls, shoes or leather items in your cupboards or "just a musty smell" is a dead give away. Other signs of moisture or ventilation problems are :

• timber in contact with floor has deteriorated;
• condensation, mould or fungi on floor or surface areas;
• paint work peeling or flaking;
• floor tiles or lino lifting;
• cupping, boring or warping of floor timbers.

We have had customers who have even thought of moving home to get away from this problem and did not realize the cause. Our expert advice and technical knowledge of ventilation (in this case forced air circulation) has quickly corrected this problem.

Fungus (plural: fungi) is basically a plant which feeds on organic matter (eg. mushrooms are fungi). They don not contain chlorophyll which produce the green colour in plants. Fungi require environments with atleast 20% moisture to flourish.

Moulds

Similar to what you may see on bread. Like all fungi, can cause health problems by exposure to the spores.

Sap stain fungi

Stain fungi, so called because of the stain they produce in the timber when feeding on the sugars in the cells of the wood. Often blue tinge. Neither cause damage to the structural strength of the timbers as they feed on cell content only.

Decay Fungi

Generally requiring a high moisture content of 24%, this problem does cause damage to the structural strength of timber, often resulting in crumbling and loss of weight of the timber. This fungi feeds on lignin (glue) and/or the cellulose cell walls of the timber as well as the cell contents

Brown rot

Brown rot, sometimes also known as "cubic" rot, as it not only breaks into large lumps called cubes, but when exposed to the atmosphere it oxidises into a brown colour.

White rot

Here the exposed cellulose and lignin leave the timber white, fibrous and decayed.

Dry rot

The true dry rot has been responsible for major damage of buildings in Europe, houses, boats and even mine timbers. Not often encounted in Sydney, it has been found in many areas of Victoria and Melbourne, even growing on brick walls, stone and such moist areas to reach the timber. Dry rot does not need moisture at the site of the root. It produces thread like strands that bring the moisture up from other areas. (Sometimes quite a distance away) to the site. Very rare in Australia.

Wet rot

needs to have moisture at the site of the rot to grow and decay the wood.