Efflorescenceforms on basement walls and floors because moisture is traveling through them and is carrying dissolved minerals to the surface. Efflorescence can look similar to mold but when touched the crystals crumble into a fine powder. It has a white or greyish tint and consists of salt deposits left behind when water evaporates.
efflorescence basement wall efflorescence bottom of basement wall
Specifically it means theres water coming in somewhere.
Efflorescence basement wall. Efflorescence typically shows up better on darker concrete and occurs when the salts and other materials in the concrete make their way to the surface. Efflorescence is a crystalline deposit of salts that can form when water is present in or on brick concrete stone stucco or other building surfaces. Efflorescence on walls is a sign of excessive water in your basement. While efflorescence isnt harmful it is unattractive and over time it can cause your basement wall to deteriorate peeling cracking and flaking so that masonry begins to crumble and eventually needs repair.
All three of these elements must be present for efflorescence to exist. If youre seeing efflorescence in your basement foundation or crawl space that means there are other problems hiding right under the surface. Water migration to the wall surface and its evaporation leaving the salts impregnated in the concrete surface the improper rising of masonry after repointing deficient mortar joints or other issues such as improper flashing expansion joints or caulking. Efflorescence is a white powdery film or dusty residue that shows up on masonry surfaces on the inside or outside of a house.
The next step should be waterproofing to permanently deal with the problem. Efflorescence is commonly found on concrete surfaces. But before we brushed on the sealant we needed to treat the walls by removing the efflorescence the white salt like substance that naturally occurs on all concrete surfaces that are exposed to. Brick and cement are porous so some moisture is naturally moving through them at all times unless special sealants are applied.
Its usually found on the concrete blocks in basements but can be found many other places. Although you can brush off efflorescence easily and its not toxic that doesnt mean its completely unharmful. If you notice a white powdery film on your basement walls efflorescence is likely the culprit. To deal with it you have to first identify the source of water leakage.
Other factors that can cause the efflorescence effect are.
