Wondering if dry rot-damaged wood, which is now dry, can still cause allergies? The fungal growth should have stopped, but could there still be spores spreading throughout the house over time?
The house is from the turn of the last century with a crawl space foundation and a small cellar (potato cellar) in one corner. The cellar is damp (currently using a dehumidifier) and a couple of beams in the ceiling are rot-damaged. The planks at the very top of the ceiling, which make up the floor of the hall, have survived. The construction company I hired is going to reinforce the beams and install new insulation. They say that the rot-damaged material in the beams does not need to be removed for allergy reasons. The peat insulation that was also affected has been removed, and the amount of rot-affected material in the beams is minimal.
Now I'm wondering if anyone knowledgeable knows whether it’s really true that the rot-damaged material doesn't need to be removed in terms of allergies and, if so, if you have any sources to refer to?
The house is from the turn of the last century with a crawl space foundation and a small cellar (potato cellar) in one corner. The cellar is damp (currently using a dehumidifier) and a couple of beams in the ceiling are rot-damaged. The planks at the very top of the ceiling, which make up the floor of the hall, have survived. The construction company I hired is going to reinforce the beams and install new insulation. They say that the rot-damaged material in the beams does not need to be removed for allergy reasons. The peat insulation that was also affected has been removed, and the amount of rot-affected material in the beams is minimal.
Now I'm wondering if anyone knowledgeable knows whether it’s really true that the rot-damaged material doesn't need to be removed in terms of allergies and, if so, if you have any sources to refer to?
I have no evidence in the form of scientific studies, only what is considered accepted practice according to old tradition, according to what I've heard, that old dried-out rot damages do not need to be removed unless there is a risk of new moisture exposure, or if it must be replaced due to reduced load-bearing capacity. However, I believe there is a difference between rot fungi and mold fungi. It is generally known that mold can cause allergic reactions. I've never heard of rot fungi in those contexts. On the other hand, where there are rot fungi, there is likely also mold fungi. But, again, without too much moisture, there's no rot and no mold.
It might be worse if one is already allergic to mold. It's similar with some other allergies. Once you've developed an allergy to a substance, it can be so bad that you can barely read about it without starting to itch, etc.
Unfortunately, no answer, but that's my input that I can provide. (From a strictly scientific perspective not worth anything at all.)
It might be worse if one is already allergic to mold. It's similar with some other allergies. Once you've developed an allergy to a substance, it can be so bad that you can barely read about it without starting to itch, etc.
Unfortunately, no answer, but that's my input that I can provide. (From a strictly scientific perspective not worth anything at all.)
Thank you for the answer Oldboy. A neighbor who works with moisture damage said the same thing, but on Trygghetsvakten, which is often mentioned in this forum, it says that you should always remove rotted timber. So it's a bit confusing…