Aren bales susceptible to humidity and moisture?
A. Fungus (dry rot) can occur in straw at sustained high levels of moisture (over 20 per-cent of dry weight, or relative humidity of 70 to 80 percent)– significant damage occurs when these levels are maintained over a long period of time. Intermittent moisture is not a threat, however. In California, we can face periods of intense rain, usually followed by dry, windy days, excellent for drying out walls. It is rare, for instance, to see moss growing on exterior plaster, as one would find everywhere in England. Should moisture on the outside face of a bale wall rise above 20 percent during an extended rainstorm, it would nevertheless dry out before extensive fungal growth could occur, if allowed to breathe. Experience and test results suggest that the best way to avoid sustained high moisture concentrations lies in making certain that the bales are able to transpire any accumulated moisture back into the environment. Building paper, commonly used to cover plywood walls, could inhibit t
