White house mushroom in a brick room. White house mushroom and other wood killers of a wooden house

Various fungi and molds have accompanied humanity throughout its history. Mold appeared on the planet much earlier than people. It was only relatively recently that fungi began to be treated as a big problem. Many people are accustomed to the characteristic smell and do not pay attention to it. For some reason, rooms with black fungi do not shock people, but the greenery of the basement at the dacha or personal plot It doesn’t hurt to store food supplies there.

Mold can appear due to insufficient floor ventilation.

However, then people wonder why they suddenly developed allergies, found it difficult to breathe, or why a perfectly built house suddenly began to rot. Of course, everything can be attributed to low-quality materials or something else, without paying attention to main reason. When fungal spores enter the house, they can begin to actively reproduce in a humid environment that is comfortable for them. It is impossible to remove fungus with regular cleaning. However, it can be completely destroyed with special means, preventing its reoccurrence. Before destroying the fungus, it is necessary to understand the reasons for its appearance in order to prevent this from happening in the future.

Why does fungus appear in the house?

The appearance of fungus may be due to improper condensation and the appearance of condensation on the floor.

In order to permanently destroy the fungus, you must first find out the reasons for its appearance in the house. Microscopic spores are present everywhere, and as soon as they get into a favorable environment, they begin to grow. The most common causes of fungus are lack of ventilation and high humidity. Mold is the simplest fungus, which, in turn, loves rooms with poor ventilation and high humidity. Damp apartments on the ground floor, houses, cultivation of many tropical indoor plants V small room, unreasonable use of humidifiers - all this can lead to the appearance and spread of fungus.

Among modern finishing and building materials There are almost no people who are not affected by the fungus. It very often appears in toilets, bathrooms, and air conditioner filters. It can also be found in the refrigerator or washing machine, on wallpaper, books, under the floor.

When building a house, special attention is paid to its structural reliability, durability and comfort. For this purpose, high-strength materials are used, layers of insulation, insulation and waterproofing systems are laid. However, influence technical condition the object can also be affected by negative biological processes. The slow destruction of structures, in particular, provokes house fungus. How to get rid of it? Exist different methods fight - from specialized means to very effective folk ways. The choice of a specific strategy for eliminating such misfortunes is determined by the scale of the damage and the conditions of development of the fungus. But in any case, you need to understand that we are talking not only about an unfavorable sanitary background, but also about a direct danger to the technical and structural basis of the house.

What types of fungus should you fight at home?

Experts identify many types of fungus that can settle right in the house. These include mold, wood, and white microorganisms, which are also called house sponges and destructive nostrils. And each of these fungi, to varying degrees, has a harmful effect on both building structures and the health of residents. For example, a wood sponge spreads sterilely and, as it develops intensively, can cover large areas settlement surfaces. As a result, the laid boards or logs begin to rot and become unusable. Therefore, even in the early stages of development, it is important to detect the presence of a house mushroom. The photo below shows an example of the initial stage of formation of this microorganism. The mycelium is revealed not only by stems with small dots, but also by pale plaques with traces of mucus.

Common sites for fungal development

It must immediately be emphasized that this type of fungus is capable of developing in unfavorable conditions. It is the sterile form of reproduction that determines this feature. Nevertheless, there are still certain factors by which you can determine the optimal place for a house sponge to live. First of all, these are, of course, woodlands. The fungus often appears on boards, beam structures and particle boards, and from the outside. The room should have little light and a high humidity ratio. It is noteworthy that the house fungus prefers coniferous wood, although there are many observations of it developing in oak buildings. As for the target premises, basements, attics with attics and simply underground niches can be called the most attractive places for such a mushroom.

Primary control measures

First you need to physically eliminate the affected areas. Since development occurs primarily on surfaces and the fungus does not penetrate deeper in the early stages, the abrasive treatment method can be used. First of all, the mycelium is cut off and its base is scraped off. To do this, you can use knives, brushes and other tools of similar design. Next, abrasive grinding of the affected area is performed. The primary methods of combating house fungus, which has formed on brick and concrete bases, are somewhat different. The most radical way is to mechanically dismantle part of the surface, if this is possible in principle. For example, when a mushroom appears on the plaster, it is simply knocked down. If the structure is monolithic and serves as a load-bearing basis for the house, then you will have to use the same abrasive treatment with coarse-grained material. After this, biological and disinfection measures must be immediately taken.

Homemade solutions to eliminate fungus

If we are talking about a small distribution area, then you can limit yourself to the simplest mixtures and impregnations that will clean the affected area. These include chlorine-containing preparations, sprayers and aggressive detergents. Next, a layer of paint and varnish is applied to the surface. Moreover, in both cases, the treatment must be carried out to cover the area not affected by the fungus - with an approximate radius of 30-50 cm, depending on the main scale of the lesion. But this strategy will also be ineffective in the case of dense settlement of an already formed family. A more effective fight against house fungus is carried out with the help of potent chemical solutions.

With your own hands, you can prepare a mixture based on table salt (about 1 kg) and boric acid (60 g). These two components are diluted in 5 liters of boiling water, after which the solution is applied to the target area with a brush or sponge. Special attention in this case, attention is given to cracks and crevices into which the composition must literally be poured. To destroy the fungus that has penetrated deep into the wood, it is also recommended to use anthracene oil.

Special preparations

The most popular means of eliminating unwanted biological development processes in the house is impregnation from the Neomid line. This brand produces special antifungal drugs that are safe for people, but effectively eliminate harmful microorganisms. In the early stages of development of unwanted flora, you can use the composition "Neomid 430". It is suitable for indoor processing. If similar processes occur outside, then Neomid 440 is used. To eliminate the house fungus, which has long established itself and continues to active development to cover new areas, it is worth using the antiseptic impregnation “Bioshield-2”. This is a composition of enhanced action, which provides a complex effect on such microorganisms. In extreme cases, a similar effect can be achieved with hydrogen peroxide, vinegar and some of the bleach solutions.

Methods for destroying porcini mushroom

Professional room cleaning

In general, the professional approach uses the same principles of wrestling, but at a higher quality level. Thus, primary cleaning can be done with grinders and manual machines, provided with abrasives of sufficient grain size. At the stages of antiseptic and biological effects, fungicidal solutions are used, characterized by a powerful chemical effect. As for the final stage, the house fungus with all spores and traces is finally eliminated by microwave equipment, which heats surfaces with microwaves at a temperature of about 75 ºC. How justified is seeking such help? Professional treatment is beneficial both in terms of killing fungus and in being safe for the environment of the room itself. But the cost of such a service averages 1.5-2 thousand rubles. for 1 m 2. Obviously, home remedies will be much cheaper.

How to prevent fungus from appearing?

Of course, why waste time and money fighting various kinds enemy, it is better to prevent his appearance in advance. What is required for this in the case of fungi? First of all, poor ventilation contributes to its development. Therefore, all dark and stuffy corners of the house should be well ventilated. The same measure will reduce the humidity coefficient, which is attractive for both wood and white house fungus, which can even appear under the bathtub due to local leaks. It is also worth warming up the premises. Especially in the basement, an effective preventive measure will be the periodic use of heating equipment that minimizes the processes of dampness.

Conclusion

In the matter of biological protection of the home, an integrated approach is always important. When eliminating one reason, do not forget about the other. Therefore, in addition to creating an unfavorable environment for the appearance of malicious guests, it would not be superfluous to take care of the quality of the building materials themselves. The fact is that the house mushroom, even in humid conditions, will not develop on wood material that has previously been subjected to special treatment. Even during the construction stages, it is recommended to cover the same logs and boards with special compounds for biological protection. This applies to a lesser extent to other structures, but, as practice shows, the epicenter of the spread of fungus is almost always wood.

Mold is the common name for a fungus, which, in turn, can be moldy (grows on stone, concrete, paint), blue fungus (grows in the fiber of wood), rotting fungus (bacterial, white, brown rot growing on wood), yeast fungus (on food products). Molds are found almost everywhere. They are found both in a person’s home and in external environment.

WHAT IS IT?

Bluishing, greening of surfaces, peeling of walls, terry or a growing “beard”, black spots indicate the presence of mold.
It is easy to notice fungal damage to wood: dark spots, grayish coating, damp wood.
As for the color of rot, it can be red, white, gray, yellow, green. Red rot affects conifers, white and yellow rot affects oak and birch, green rot affects oak barrels, beams and ceilings of cellars.
Dry rot on wood is gray in color and forms a fluffy, cotton-like mass; Sometimes this fungus resembles smooth gray sheets with areas of lemon and lilac color. The affected tree turns brown and becomes covered with cracks along and across the grain.
Wet rot resembles thin ropes or dark-colored veins. In some places (for example, behind baseboards) it looks like grayish sheets. The affected tree darkens and cracks appear.

CONDITIONS FOR THE APPEARANCE AND DEVELOPMENT OF MOLD

Mold spreads through the air as microscopic spores. When it hits a damp surface, it sprouts in the finest threads.

Mold and mildew love moisture. Unfortunately, all materials around us contain moisture to one degree or another. In facades made of stone and concrete, moisture is formed as a result of condensation, that is, it settles on the surfaces of the walls in the form of small droplets. Condensation may appear in the cold season due to insufficient wall thickness. In bathrooms (not to mention baths and saunas), condensation is a common occurrence - the result of the difference in temperature between the surface and the air adjacent to it. Rain has a beneficial effect on mold growth. Moisture penetrates through pores, holes, cracks or leaking seams in buildings. Groundwater and sedimentary water have the unfortunate property of being absorbed into the base of a building or into the walls. The appearance of mold on unprotected materials in this case is inevitable. Structural moisture is initially present in new structures and can accumulate during the production of building materials, as well as during construction itself. Moisture accumulation is possible due to unbalanced air exchange in the room.

In addition, mold thrives at sub-zero temperatures. She, like trees in winter, does not “live an active life,” but does not die either. As the temperature rises, the mold begins to sporulate again. High temperatures are capable of killing mold, but to destroy some species it is necessary to expose them to a temperature of plus 100 C° for 1-2 hours.

An unfavorable condition for wood rot is dry wood with a moisture content of no more than 20% (if the wood moisture content is below 15%, the development of rot does not occur at all). Lumber can easily reach such a moisture content during natural drying from January to July in conditions middle zone. But moisture can be contained not only in the original wood. The main sources of wood moisture in the structures of various buildings and structures include ground (underground) and surface (storm and seasonal) water. They are especially dangerous for wooden elements located in the ground (pillars, piles, etc.). Atmospheric moisture in the form of rain and snow threatens the ground part of open structures, as well as the external wooden elements of buildings. Wood is also threatened by operational moisture that occurs inside residential premises during cooking, washing, drying clothes, washing floors, etc. Condensing on the surface or in the thickness of structures, this moisture is dangerous primarily because it is usually detected only when when in the fence wooden structure or its element, irreversible changes have occurred, for example, internal decay.

WHAT IS MOLD DANGEROUS?

The affected material becomes a source of mold spores, so the first sign of mold contamination is the appearance of mold spores in the air. Just as radiation or heavy metals affect the body invisibly, mold also affects a person, his health and housing.
Here is a short list of diseases associated with mold: migraine, runny nose, otitis media, bronchitis, rhinitis, bronchial asthma, cardiovascular disorders, mycotoxicosis. Sometimes people with weakened immune systems may develop mold infections internal organs. All of these diseases are chronic and cause difficulties in treatment. Allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever, affects over 36 million people. In most cases, the root cause of this disease is allergenic mold. Among the huge number of mushrooms, allergenic properties have been found in approximately 300 species. The number of people suffering from mold allergies increases every year and these are mainly people with bronchial asthma. By at least in 15% of children with bronchial asthma it is detected increased sensitivity to mold allergens. The disease is characterized by a gradual onset and protracted course.
In hospital conditions, even fatal infections can occur in weakened people.

When mold spores enter the gastrointestinal tract, a food allergy develops.
Mold is considered the most poisonous yellow color, which produces the strongest aflatoxin. Yellow mold affects food products(liver, fish, milk, rice, and groundnuts are most susceptible to damage).

More than 100 toxic compounds found by scientists in mold may not show their presence in the body for a very long time. But after a few decades, they can cause the rapid growth of cancerous tumors.

WOODEN HOUSE AND MOLD.

Mold is the worst enemy of wood. Wood that dries naturally is at risk of rotting for a long time. It is also threatened by fungi and mold.
Fungal spores and bacteria can get on the wood in the forest or during transportation. They just need to get in favorable conditions to begin to develop rapidly. Imagine such a common situation - building materials were purchased in the spring (which means this is a “winter forest”, considered the healthiest), and its use begins only in the second half of summer. During storage, the wood was stacked and covered with polyethylene, wrapped as tightly as possible. Everything seems to be correct. But they didn’t take into account one thing - the greenhouse effect. And this effect is simply a blessing for mold. The same wood would be intact if the stack was simply covered with something from the rain on top, but thanks to the open walls it would be ventilated.
Similar phenomena can occur in finished buildings. Mold and blue fungi mainly spoil appearance, and also indicate temporary moisture in the wood. The real enemies of wood are mycelium, which destroy fibers and cause softening of the wood, which causes significant damage to load-bearing structures. Mold and blue stains do not impair the strength of the wood, but rot destroys the wood and over time makes it unsuitable for use (while infecting neighboring boards and beams). Wooden houses do not die from old age: wood is durable enough to last for centuries, and in suitable conditions it can be preserved for thousands of years. All because the tree got sick... with house fungus. Blue easily penetrates through the varnishes and paints that cover the wood. Blue discoloration occurs at high air humidity and temperature plus 10-25 0C.
Promotes the development of blueness and stillness of the surrounding air. The blue color itself does not change the mechanical properties of wood, but is a precursor to rotting, and its presence indicates a high moisture content of the material.
Bacterial rot destroys wood cells from the inside and causes cellulose to decompose. Because of this, the tree darkens and turns gray. White rot provokes the decomposition of cellulose and lignin - an organic polymer compound contained in the cell membranes of vascular plants and causing their lignification (deciduous wood contains 20-30% lignin, coniferous wood - up to 50%).
Brown rot “splits” the cellulose, causing the wood to split. The area of ​​the tree affected by this rot turns brown. Wet rot is more typical for houses with increased dampness; dry rot appears in damp places, but then can spread to dry wood, brick, and plaster. Note that darkening of wood does not mean it is diseased. Any untreated board fresh air changes color. This is a kind of natural oxidation.
The appearance of house fungus is not difficult to notice: on logs of walls, on floor boards, and wall cladding, a white fluff or cotton wool-like accumulation of white threads first forms. Then yellow, pink and lilac spots appear, which over time turn into gray films with a silvery tint. The wood darkens, cracks and crumbles. The fungus grows catastrophically quickly, especially in buildings made of soft wood; Pine and oak wood is less damaged by house fungus.
If house mushroom If it is not destroyed in a timely manner, then in 6-8 months it can “eat through” the wood. The most terrible enemy of a tree is the white house mushroom. It successfully disguises itself as ordinary mold. But this is until the fungus shows its character. Under certain conditions, in a month it can “eat” an entire oak floor 4 centimeters thick!
Wood is a “living” material that contains moisture. A growing tree is fed with water through its roots and trunk. In lumber and wood products, the structure of the cells of a growing tree is preserved, and therefore the board absorbs water, and through the transverse planes to a greater extent than through the longitudinal ones. Moisture is what fungi need.
In addition to wood, mold can have a destructive effect on almost any material. She destroys easily paint coatings, stains brick, cement and concrete (affected by fungus concrete slab disintegrates in just a couple of years).

AND A FEW MORE facts:

• For the first time, the fungus Stachybotrys atra, which attracted the attention of scientists several years ago and has been linked to the deaths of several infants in Ohio, has been isolated from the lungs of a seven-year-old boy. This mold, one of hundreds of thousands of fungi found in nature, can cause serious health problems if it grows in the home. Inside living quarters, it turns into a dangerous enemy of the human body, especially harming infants and children. The fungus Stachybotrys atra produces toxic spores that are easily inhaled. In the open air they are destroyed relatively quickly, but in a damp, poorly ventilated room, on heating pipes or on cellulose coverings, mold grows quickly. In the home where the fungus was later discovered, children suffered from migraines, coughs, watery eyes and constant fatigue, forcing them to visit their pediatrician frequently. The mother fell ill with hormone-dependent asthma. None of the family members were tested for the fungus, but their Scottish collie, Rocky, who was suffering from vomiting and diarrhea, was tested. He was found to have a fungus that had settled in gastrointestinal tract. Case Western Reserve University scientists later discovered a link between Stachybotrys atra and an unusual rate of infant deaths from pulmonary hemorrhages. The 10 babies who died from this cause lived in poor, water-damaged homes in Cleveland, all of the homes concentrated in one area. Since then, there have been 160 such reported cases in the United States.
• The cause of death for those who opened the tombs of the Egyptian pharaohs was yellow mold that released aflatoxin. Aflatoxin causes severe pneumonia and liver cancer.
• The African Bantu people deliberately store food in such a way that it becomes moldy for the sake of taste. This nation suffers more than anyone else in the world from liver cancer; they die before reaching the age of 40.
• India has ideal conditions for mold to grow. Cirrhosis of the liver is common here in children fed yellow rice. It's all contaminated with aflatoxin.
• In the old days, a hut infected with white house fungus was immediately burned so as not to infect neighboring buildings.
• In 1997, American astronaut Michael Foale, who was visiting the Mir station orbit, claimed that the inside smelled of mushrooms and dampness. And its walls in many places are covered with multi-colored mold. Like, fungal spores make your eyes water and your skin itchy. Only recently, Russian scientists from the Institute of Medical and Biological Problems confirmed this information. It turns out that our astronauts and ground scientists knew about mold even without Foale. Moreover, they tried to fight it with a special antifungal cream. But without much success. Fungi spoiled plastic, metal and even glass - they almost gnawed right through the porthole. According to Alexander Viktorov, head of the department of sanitary-chemical and microbiological safety, mold became especially voracious in response to solar activity. It is not surprising that there is a version in which mold is the main culprit for most problems at the Mir station. Including the on-board computer. IN Lately the situation could have escalated catastrophically, and the mold had grown so much that further operation of the station in habitable mode was excluded. Perhaps it was the defeat in the battle with fungi that forced the Mir to be sunk.

1. The most vulnerable to mold damage are the walls and corners of buildings. They must have biocidal protection.

2. Take a closer look at the arrangement of furniture: if bulky objects are placed close to the walls, limiting air circulation, then droplets of condensation will soon appear on the walls, and then mold.

3. A common cause of rotting exterior window frames is loose or cracked caulk on the bottom of the frame. Make sure that the putty does not come off the glass and rainwater did not penetrate the inside of the frame.

4. The appearance of mold on the wall with a balcony is usually associated with improperly installed gutters and poor waterproofing. Make sure that the external drain is not clogged or standing water. If the drain freezes in winter, it can tear at the seam, and in the spring a fungus will settle in the wall nearby.

5. Active ventilation of premises reduces the risk of mold. An unfavorable microclimate for fungi is created. When ventilating in the cold season, it is better to fully open the window (balcony door) for a short time. Opening the vents for a significant period of time helps to cool the walls.

6. There are three basic rules in the fight against mold - reduce humidity inside the home (no unheated rooms in the building in winter, no drying clothes in the room, repair of leaking taps, fewer indoor plants), ensure good ventilation (more frequent opening of windows, increased bathroom ventilation rooms) and eliminate mold.

DURING CONSTRUCTION AND REPAIR

1. Drainpipes must be installed so that the vertical seams are away from the wall and at a distance of at least 3 cm.

2. To protect the balcony floor from moisture, you need to lay a dense epoxy or polyurethane coating on it, and the floor must have a sufficient slope. Then the water will flow smoothly down.

3. It is advisable to build houses from dry materials to avoid the appearance of structural moisture.

4. Better protection synthetic putties provide protection against moisture and retain elasticity for a long time.

5. The more cement in the plaster, the stronger it is. Therefore, plasters made of lime-cement composition are considered more resistant to water than lime plasters.

6. All wood building materials must be treated with antiseptics during construction.

7. If the fungus has already appeared, waterproofing the material will not lead to its “clogging.” The fungus must be destroyed before applying the waterproofing coating.

Provide good ventilation. Thoroughly ventilate areas where mold can form - attics, basements, bathrooms. If the bathroom is very wet after a shower or bath, it should be ventilated.

Do not allow water to leak from taps, as this increases humidity.

Wipe wet areas with a dry cloth.

It is possible to reduce indoor humidity using an air conditioner. But remember that the air conditioner itself can become a source of fungi and their spores. Use an air conditioner with fungicidal “impregnated” filters or other technologies that prevent mold from growing inside. The use of air purifiers is recommended. The most effective purifiers are those with HEPA filters.

It is necessary to ensure good heating, if there is no central one (at the dacha). And if it is not central enough, it is possible to additionally heat the room. Don't turn off the heating at night. The formation of dampness on the walls is much greater when the room cools down.

The rooms should be ventilated for a short time, but intensively. All windows and doors must be open. Short and intense ventilation will not dissipate heat from the walls, so heat loss will be small. Windows slightly open are not an adequate alternative to opening them wide for a short period of time.

If your home has a serious mold infestation, the only solution is to call in experienced help. In many cases it was registered positive effect moving from a damp and “moldy” home to a room without such problems.

Air out wet clothes before storing them.

Avoid keeping dried flowers and wreaths in your room, which often contain mold.

REMEMBER that preventing the appearance of mold is much easier and cheaper than removing the fungus and eliminating the consequences of such damage!

The house mushroom belongs to the tinder fungi; it develops exclusively in buildings and is not found in nature. First of all, it infects the wooden parts of basements and lower floors, which are most exposed to moisture and, at the same time, poorly ventilated. Temperature 18-23 C and humidity 90-95% contribute to the most intensive development of the fungus.

This insidious destroyer spreads especially easily in buildings made of soft wood (it has been noted that pine and oak wood is less susceptible to infection by house fungus).

Signs of the presence of fungus

Infection with house fungus can be easily identified by a musty smell in the room, wet, non-drying spots on the walls, and the appearance of white cotton wool-like accumulations of thin threads on the surface of the wood, which later becomes dark and soft. Yellow, pink, and lilac spots appear on the surface of the wood. Gradually they turn into gray films with a silvery tint. The wood darkens, cracks, crumbles.

The action of the fungus is very intense: if the house fungus is not destroyed in a timely manner, then in 6-8 months it can “eat through” the wood; six months is enough for the floor to completely rot. Subsequently, fleshy fruiting bodies form on the lower surface of the rotten wood.

Protection against fungal infection

Protection against wood infection by house fungus consists of creating conditions that would prevent its appearance and development. Basic preventive measures- this is first of all avoiding excessive humidity and dampness indoors at the same time as mandatory constant ventilation.

Also, to prevent the wood from becoming infected with house fungus, wooden structures should reliably isolated from the foundation, when building houses comply with all basic ventilation requirements premises.

Important preventive the measure is also coating the wood surface with a protective layer of resin or oil– It has long been known that resinous, oiled or salted wood is preserved better.

What to do if infection has already occurred

If the fungus has already appeared on the wood, then, in addition to special chemical antifungal drugs that are sold in every store, the following methods can also be used to combat it:

1. If possible, building materials affected by house fungus should be remove and burn immediately, replacing them with new ones so that they do not infect the remaining wood.

2. Try to warm up the affected parts of the wood (for example, with an electric reflector).

3. Prepare antifungal composition(mix 950 g of table salt with 50 g of boric acid and dilute this mixture in 5 liters of boiling water) and then thoroughly lubricate the parts affected by the fungus with it (with a brush or sponge), so that the composition penetrates deeply into all the cracks and cracks.

4. Finally, as a last resort, it is recommended to use anthracene oil– it penetrates into the very depths of the wood, completely destroying the fungus.

A rotten tree is found in a wooden house - it arises decisive question: Was it a real house mushroom (Serpula lacrymans) or not? The reaction is more than correct, because after the cause of the lesion has been clarified, you can begin to eliminate it.

By the way, elimination methods vary greatly depending on the type of pathogen. If you live in timber house or are planning to build one, this information may be useful to you.

Forewarned is forearmed!

Real house mushroom

Defeat real house mushroom is usually accompanied by deep growth into stone walls and other mineral building materials, which makes thorough remediation a truly expensive undertaking.

All other wood fungi do not have such a pronounced all-germinating ability, so for treatment it would be enough to simply replace the infected beams and eliminate the problem of high moisture content in the wood.

Only in isolated cases of germination into mineral elements of a building would additional chemical treatment be required.

Determining the type of fungal pathogen to exclude the true house fungus and related species of other wood-destroying fungi is mandatory, since according to GOST 20022.1-90 “Protection of wood. Terms and Definitions" installed:

• without an exact identification of the type of fungus, it is necessary to apply sanitation measures as with a real house mushroom;
• To eliminate fungi related to real house mushrooms, it is necessary to apply sanitation measures as for real house mushrooms.

Serpula belt

To date, only one related species is known - (Serpula himantioides). It is extremely rare in residential buildings, but it can easily settle in old attics in places of high humidity. In the forest it lives on dead trees in large numbers.

Its numerous fruiting bodies are much smaller and thinner than those of Serpula lacrymans. However, when examining the hyphae (threads) of the mycelium under a microscope, no differences are observed between them.

Small house mushroom

By the way, Leucogyrophana pulverulenta, called small house mushroom, is not related to the present one. IN wooden houses often found different types leucogryphons, however, they are all much more demanding of high humidity than Serpula himantioides.

Although all of them are causative agents of brown rot, which turns wood into dust and rot, completely destroying cellulose in the plant cells of the tree. It is often impossible to determine the exact type of fungus by eye. In this case, a thorough microscopic analysis is required.

A pinkish fungus from the polypore family (Oligoporus placenta) is increasingly found in homes as a result of a new, economical construction method.

This causative agent of brown rot takes root well on both coniferous and deciduous wood in places of contact with melt water. Very often the cause of its appearance is wet insulation.

That is why it is very important to follow all stages of thermal insulation not only of the roofing pie, but also of the actual frame of the house. We also do not recommend saving on building materials. The disease is much easier to prevent than to cure.

White oak mushroom

In second place in terms of the most common inhabitants of residential buildings from the kingdom of Mushrooms is (Donkioporia expansa). It belongs to the group of pathogens of white rot (more precisely, rotten rot). This means that it primarily destroys lignin and leaves cellulose intact. (If you compare lignin to concrete, the cellulose would act as iron reinforcement).

The wood becomes very fibrous and light, like balsa wood. The favorite “delicacy” of this fungus is oak and coniferous trees, especially with high moisture content. During the dry period it can be completely destroyed without human intervention.

The fruiting body of Donkioporia expansa on the upper gray surface has clearly visible pores of a cork-like consistency. His destructive force leads to the rapid death of the tree. Unlike a real house mushroom, which only partially affects the trunk, its destructive power is much more powerful and covers the entire cut.

star mushroom

The cause of defects on the lower wooden lathing roofing structure this is often the case

called (Asterostroma spp.), a rare visitor to coniferous wood.

This causative agent of wet rot causes intense damage, the cells of which, under a microscope, closely resemble stars or snowflakes. Typically causes significant damage.

Often found on brickwork.

Two-color resin mushroom

Less often found in residential buildings Two-color resin mushroom, Resinicium bicolor, which is recognizable under a microscope by its typical crinoid cell shape.

It lives mainly on coniferous wood.

In just a few years it is capable of completely destroying the tree on which it has settled.

Petsitsa

In late spring, in damp rooms (for example, in the bathroom), it becomes frightening when suddenly and unexpectedly sprouts grow at the joints of the tiles. sweetie(Peziza spp.).

Under it there is often a wood board completely saturated with moisture, which provides excellent nutrition for the fungus.

Pitsitsa is a sure sign of pronounced moisture damage, often resulting from errors during construction. Its presence in the bathroom is a reason to open the floor and walls and find the cause of dampness in the room.

Yes, yes, up to the complete reconstruction of the room. This is the only reasonable way to combat a representative of this species. Chemical treatment against this better known as edible mushroom will not help!

Oyster mushrooms

The same goes for another “cause” of white rot - oyster mushroom, which is sometimes (most often by pure chance) found on a building.

She can rather be classified as a fan of already lifeless deciduous trees, which very skillfully turn a still strong trunk into bast. By the way, oyster mushrooms can be eaten after appropriate heat treatment.

In the picture on the left, it grew out of a technically very modern insulated façade.

Here it is a useful indicator of damage, since it must be sufficiently moist and, as they say, also provide a nutritious substrate...

Another representative of oyster mushrooms, oyster mushroom, acts as a wood destroyer mainly in human habitats. Actually, in a green-painted scaffold they don’t expect fungal infection. Both of the following pictures prove the opposite.

Apparently, the unlimited trust of builders in green color became the reason that the construction materials dealer was still able to find his buyer.

Koniophora

Many people get scared when a web of black threads appears on the wall in the dark light of a basement. In most cases this is the result of a piece of wood leaning against the wall, a typical mycelium koniophores medullary or as it is also called - smelly.

At the same time, it covers with vegetation stone wall and plaster, under certain circumstances it can even grow through them. Fresh mycelium, which in contrast is white in color, can be confusing. Taking on the character of the destruction of typical brown rot, it can be easily confused with a real house mushroom.

One would think that the logical place to look for a typical cellar mushroom would be in the basement. However, it is often found on the upper floors of high-rise buildings, for example under condensing water pipes. In contrast to the real house mushroom, it requires high humidity of more than 50 - 60%. If its habitat becomes dry, it quickly dies. Often associated with white sponges (Antrodia vaillantii).

White sponge

White sponges Thanks to the huge amount of wood spent on arranging the garden and landscape, they lead a satisfying life and thoroughly spoil it for pest control specialists. There was once an opinion that heat treatment followed by impregnation with a chemical composition perfectly protects against white sponge.

However, as practice has shown, this fungus actively breaks down the protective chemical layer, processing and releasing poison in its cells, and then easily destroys the woody solids. The vitality and unpretentiousness of this species are amazing: it lives well even on a mineral surface.

Pig

Pig(Paxillus panuoides) has every right to be called the queen of pits.

Today, in building structures, as a consequence of improper thermal insulation (ruptures in the vapor-permeable film or its complete absence), a climate that is similar to that which develops in mines.

Therefore, few people are surprised by the thickets of pigs when dismantling the roof. Little pigs live only on wood.

If you meet it on plaster, then it is most likely a representative of the oyster mushroom genus.

dung beetle

People are often surprised to find (Coprinus) in the house.

They grow, as a rule, from the ceiling, from the walls or from the floor; it is not even necessary that there be a wooden surface nearby.

This small, harmless mushroom should alert you, because it is a direct sign that condensation is settling on building structures, which can cause severe damage.

Therefore, you should always take this mushroom seriously and consider it as an assistant in the search for construction errors.

Gleophyllum

Another family of the worst enemies of wood are those that are most often responsible for “mess” on window frames and shutters.

They most often specialize in coniferous species - pines and fir trees. They form brown rot and are especially dangerous for load-bearing structural elements.They imperceptibly destroy timber and beams from the inside.

The presence of fruiting bodies on the roof structure means a direct danger to the operation of the entire building.

The most common cause of infection is the penetration of melt water through heat bridges that form at points of contact with the metal elements of the building.

Honey mushrooms

Rarely on buildings, but more often around them, an amazing type of coal-black mycelium is found that lives on inanimate trees. We are talking about autumn honey mushrooms(Armillaria), which are the most important pathogens of root rot. Growing on fallen trunks, rotten stumps and other woody debris, the mycelium of this fungus grows through the ground and forms white rot.

Thanks to its anomalous mycelium, the honey fungus is probably the largest and oldest living creature on the planet.