These images were taken during an inspection beneath a suspended timber floor. The white, web-like material is a mycelial growth from the wet rot fungus Fibroporia Vallantii, commonly known as Mine Fungus. Additionally, an active wood-boring infestation by Anobium Punctatum, also known as the Common Furniture Beetle, was observed. Piles of waste/frass can be seen accumulating on the pipework, caused as the insects emerge from the timber as an adult beetle, leaving behind small flight holes in the wood.
An external inspection revealed a lack of ventilation was provided to the subfloor in question, indicating conditions under the floor may be poor. Upon gaining access under the floor, my suspicions were confirmed. The timbers were found to have high moisture content due to the lack of ventilation, which had allowed ground moisture to accumulate. As timber naturally absorbs moisture from the air, this prolonged exposure to high humidity led to the initiation of decay and infestation, both of which can severely compromise the structural integrity of timber when gone unnoticed for a prolonged period.
In this case, most of the timber had deteriorated beyond repair due to the extensive insect tunnelling and needed to be replaced with pre-treated timbers. Treatment of the remaining timber and additional ventilation were recommended to prevent future outbreaks.