Cupboard of horror....scary damp with visible mycellium

[Mickey]

Hi All,
On moving in we discovered some bad damp in hall cupboard which was concealed by a cardboard box. Had our surveyor moved this box aside during our full structural survey this damp would have been clear to see. We think we have identified via the internet that the damp is cellar fungus, I'd be grateful to know if i should be as worried as my CO thinks i should, certainly her reaction on seeing it scared the heck out of me. The cupboard backs onto en suite shower room that previous owner numpties did not bother to redo sealant and water would just have been peeing into the floor void. There is visible damp on the skirting board which looks shot, the plaster board above up to a certain level and the mycellium is on top of the floor boards ..it is dark brown, twiggy finger like growth which is hard and flatish. We have obviously not used this shower since we moved in and I am kicking myself since I swore I would do a proper viewing, into every corner to look for damp having spent so long reading posts on this forum. Should we be seeking redress from our surveyor do you think ,frankly after spending 1500k on bat surveys some compensaton to put this right would be most welcome! I have taken pictures and will post up asap but just really wanted to ask if it is cellar fungus is it just a case of removing affected timbers and replacing with good....should I be running around trying to find someone to put this right as an emergency, presume a carpenter is my best bet? i dont want specialist damp people trying to spray chemicals down there and telling me I need injected damproofing whilst I am at it! Any advice most gratefully received.
Many thanks
Mickey

 

[stuart45]

I wouldn't panic and get emergency carpenters in. The first step with a damp problem is to identify the cause and stop it. You have already done this. You also seem to have identified the type of fungus which helps.
The next thing is to allow the area to dry out properly and then replace the affected timbers.

 

[MatthewC]

I wouldn't panic and get emergency carpenters in. The first step with a damp problem is to identify the cause and stop it. You have already done this. You also seem to have identified the type of fungus which helps.
The next thing is to allow the area to dry out properly and then replace the affected timbers.

I'd also take lots of photos as evidence and ask the surveyor to come back and have a look and justify his report, with a view to demanding a partial rebate or payment for the repairs.

 

[88v8]

Flat, brown, hard, found that under a garden shed I moved after being in place 30 years. Dried, dead. On the wood, not in the wood.

When you remove the source of damp, it will all begin to dry out. Plentiful ventilation... remove the cupboard door, take up some floorboards if you can, put a fan in there under the floor, or fan heater set to 'blow' only. Will take weeks, could take months if the wall is brick/stone and saturated. Mind you, the floor void - suspended floor?? - should be well ventilated by air bricks, so if you don't feel a decent breeze coming up when you remove the floorboards that should of itself prompt an investigation.

As the damp disappears, the fungus will die. Afaik it is not good to eat, let us know if you decide otherwise.

Lucky it's not dry rot, now that would be something to worry about.

Cardboard box... seller of our second house did that to, successfully, hide a set of rotten French doors. Could try having a pop at your surveyor.
Ours missed a few things here, but we used things he did find to knock a bit off the price. Hehyo, move on.

Ivor

 

[Matt Green]

Lucky it's not dry rot, now that would be something to worry about.

Your advice is sound and would work just as well for a dry rot outbreak, without any need to worry.