Temperature

• The wood rot fungus grows when the temperature ranges from above freezing to 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The ideal temperature for the fungus to flourish is 65 and 90 degrees Fahrenheit. When the temperature dips to below freezing, the fungus becomes dormant.
  
  

Considerations

• Wood buried below the water table level will not suffer from dry rot. The fungus must have oxygen to flourish, grow and reproduce. The fungus grows best when the ambient light is low or nonexistent.
  
  

Effects

• Dry rot causes wood to become seriously weakened and prone to breaking or chipping. The wood will take on an abnormal brown coloring. The surface of the wood may appear normal, with the dry-rotted area within not visible to the naked eye. Dry rot occurs when the wood is invaded by a fungus that uses the wood as a food source.
  
  

Identification

• Jab any area of wood that is suspected of dry rot with a tool, such as a screwdriver, to determine if the wood gives or shows any indication of being weak. Watch the wood closely for staining, discoloration and any signs of collapsing. Tap the wood and listen to the re-vibration. Areas of rot will sound hollow. Wood suffering from rot may also smell musky or unpleasant.