Fungus through my stairs!!

[pieman42]

Can anyone help me out. I live in an upstairs flat of a converted house with my own set of stairs from the ground floor. On the very bottom step some sort of fungus is growing through the stair. I've treated the area with neat bleach several times, I've removed the carpet and all the skirting boards in the area as they were infested with the stuff (all growing behind and underneath it etc) I've not yet cut into the stairs to have a look and treat the area with a bucket load of bleach.

What I'd be interested to know is where the stuff is likely to have come from and is there anything I can do to stop it coming back. Also if this is a sign of a more problematic issue such as a problem with the damp course of the property, what tradesman would I be best in gettin in touch with.

 

[Towger]

Google 'Driy Rot'. It will give you all the info you don't want to know. If you dont own the place, I would not worry too much. Otherwise start saving for an expensive job, or just treat and replace the effected wood. Out if sight is out of mind.

 

[NZ1]

A preservation surveyor would be the person to check it out, you need to find where the moisture is coming from and eradicate it. It spreads like blazes and you dont want fungus all over your belongings.

Some will do free surveys, just ask them.