HIGH MOISTURE CONTENT, LOW VENTILATION LEVELS, AND CHANGES IN THE HYGROTHERMAL DESIGN OF WOODEN DWELLINGS COULD GENERATE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR DEVELOPING THE ROT FUNGUS SERPULA LACRYMANS, WHICH IS KNOWN AS THE MOST DESTRUCTIVE FUNGUS OF ITS KIND. THE PURPOSE OF THIS RESEARCH WAS TO DEVELOP AN EXPERIMENTAL METHODOLOGY TO DETERMINE THE CONDITIONS OF THE APPEARANCE OF THE FUNGUS S. LACRYMANS, THROUGH IN SITU MEASUREMENT OF BIOLOGICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL FREQUENCY INDICATORS FOR WOODEN DWELLINGS IN SOUTH CENTRAL CHILE.