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Poria incrassata, the "house-eating fungus," is often misdiagnosed as ordinary wood rot. Precision Environmental identifies it, removes it completely, and rebuilds what it damaged.
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Poria incrassata is a wood-decay fungus that can devastate a structure quickly, so it must be removed fast and completely. Many in our industry misdiagnose it as common wood rot and don't abate it properly. If even part of it is left behind, Poria returns and goes right back to destroying your home's structure.
Poria incrassata (also called Meruliporia incrassata) is a brown-rot fungus that feeds on the cellulose in wood. Infected wood turns dark brown and steadily loses strength. Early on it may still hold its load, but over time it becomes weak and, eventually, useless.
Unlike typical brown-rot fungi, Poria sends out root-like structures called rhizomorphs that carry water to dry wood, creating the conditions it needs to grow and spread.
Unlike most decay fungi, Poria attacks naturally decay-resistant woods like redwood, cedar, cypress and juniper, along with common framing lumber like pine and oak. Lab tests also show it tolerates many copper-based fungicides.
“When Poria invade a house, it’s almost always catastrophic. The fungus will infiltrate a foundation, wood or concrete, and pretty soon the entire house goes.”
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In a Washington Post feature on the house-eating fungus, Jehremy Foster, Chief Estimator at Precision Environmental, shared how our team tackles Meruliporia incrassata for homeowners along the West Coast.
His approach centers on complete eradication: removing the affected wood, carefully eliminating fungal traces, and tracking down the rhizomorphs, so Poria doesn’t come back.
Poria isn’t known to be especially toxic, but it’s one of the most destructive wood-decay fungi a homeowner can face.
Poria can spread through as much as 2 inches of wood a day. By the time you see it, it has usually done serious damage.
It lives in the soil and eats the structure from the inside, often going unnoticed until walls, floors or framing show damage.
Redwood and other decay-resistant species offer little protection, and Poria tolerates many copper fungicides.
Solid wood turns mushy and porous. Some homeowners have had to build an extra wall just to keep the roof from caving in.
Poria is easy to mistake for ordinary wood rot, and treating it like regular rot usually means it comes back. Get a professional evaluation before any repairs.
Schedule a Free EvaluationOr call 800-375-7786
California is in the red zone for Poria damage. The fungus is especially fond of pine and other conifers, and the most common framing lumber in California construction is exactly what it prefers.
Poria thrives in protected, damp parts of a structure: crawlspaces, sill plates, floor framing and walls near the soil, never in wood exposed to full sun.
Poria has to be removed completely or it comes back. Our process targets the decayed wood, the roots that feed it, and the water that keeps it alive.
A licensed inspector confirms whether it’s Poria, not common wood rot, and maps how far it has spread.
We remove the decayed wood plus sound wood within 2 feet of visible growth, so no hidden fungus is left behind.
We trace and remove the rhizomorphs that extend into the soil around the structure and feed the infestation.
Poria depends on conducted water and dies as wood dries, so we eliminate the moisture source and dry the area.
As licensed general contractors, we rebuild the damaged structure and bring your home back to its original condition.
Poria is more sensitive to heat and drying than most decay fungi. That’s why moisture control, together with complete removal, is the foundation of effective remediation.
Precision Environmental is licensed by the Contractors State License Board as a General Contractor. That means the same team that identifies and eradicates this wood-destroying organism also rebuilds your home, with no handoffs.
We’re known as the Poria incrassata experts. If you think you may have Poria, call us for a free evaluation.
Call 800-375-7786Every Poria job is different, so we price the work on a time-and-materials basis that matches what your home actually needs. It starts with a free evaluation.
Little research has been done on Poria’s health effects or its potential to cause allergies. An odor can be detected, mostly when the fruiting body is broken open. Even if it isn’t particularly toxic, it’s very dangerous to your home’s structure.
No. Poria is often misdiagnosed as common wood rot, but it spreads faster, travels from the soil through root-like rhizomorphs, and attacks decay-resistant wood. Treating it like ordinary rot usually means it comes back.
Yes, if it isn’t completely removed. That’s why we remove sound wood around visible growth, track down the rhizomorphs in the soil, and eliminate the moisture source.
Very fast: up to about 2 inches of wood a day. Because it works inside the structure, it often goes unnoticed until damage appears, so early remediation matters.
Common construction woods like pine, Douglas fir, white fir and oak, as well as naturally decay-resistant species like redwood, cedar, cypress and juniper.