Is this dry rot?

[anxiouscat]

Hello! I came across this forum when searching for info on dry rot, and hope you can help me a wee bit. I live in an old stone cottage in Scotland (built c. 1850). I had my roofer around a couple of days ago (original slate tile roof!) and he had to pop into the loft for something. When he came back down he mentioned seeing a small patch of dry rot. At the time I didn't know what dry rot was (and naively thought he just meant old wet rot that had dried out!), but a bit of googling has me panicked I've attached a couple of pics of what I think he was talking about. It's the only area I can see in the loft that matches what I can see on Google. So... is this dry rot?! (I have a specialist coming out next week to look, but would like to hopefully have a bit more info and knowledge by the time he comes out to look - thank you for any help/advice/commiseration!)

 

[Matt Green]

No, that's a pin mould growing on some very old surface brown rot.

old wet rot that had dried out!

That's exactly what it is. There's a bit of opportunistic mould growing on the damaged surface.

-Matt

 

[anxiouscat]

Thank you Matt! My heart rate has come down a wee bit That sounds a bit easier to treat? (I hope?!)

 

[Matt Green]

That doesn't require any treatment. The brown rot is long dead and the pin mould isn't doing any harm.

-Matt

 

[anxiouscat]

Even better! Thank you again for replying and setting my mind at ease.