CMU's with no mortar

[Denray]

I was looking at an add on garage today that had an outside wall around 8ft high that had mortar laid horizontally about every 3 courses. The framed wall above was anchored into the top of the the CMU's via grout filled top courses, but seemed really strange. Lots of efflorescence on the wall and moisture stains on the drywall above. I think the garage was being used as a grow room at one time.

So, can CMU's be put up without mortar between them with the idea that maybe they are grout filled? And maybe there is rebar in them? And maybe there is a tooth ferry?

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[John Kogel]

Could they be possibly interlocking blocks, rather than standard CMU's? Some of the seams look different on the lower courses. Maybe it's half interlocks with some standard CMU's for the top courses?

Check out this website.

http://www.scribd.com/doc/16507899/Mort ... MU-Systems

Does Eureka get an occasional earthquake?

Re the water stains, I wonder if the old roof leaked for a while. It looks like some recent fixing has been done.

[Denray]

This is Humboldt County. I think there was a grow going on at one time. The plywood roof sheathing had a light blackness on it. There were some weird electrical outlet placements, etc. Yes we get a quake wallop once in a while. It's definitely a non permitted kind of build. Should I punt to a structural engineer?

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I didn't see those holes in the sill till I looked at the photo.

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[John Kogel]

It's not framed right, either, so yes, I would.

(I'd want to see a top plate instead of studs notched into a rafter.)

Maybe they grew tropical plants for the local garden shop? []

[BADAIR]

holes appear man made

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[Denray]

Thank you everybody! [:-thumbu]