Efflorescence

[ductwork]

Quick question, when one comes across Efflorescence in either a basement or crawl space, if the area is dry, are you writing this up to monitor this in your report as a possible source of wall leakage ?

[kurt]

No, I tell people it's efflorescence and it means there's moisture in the wall. I make a determination about where the water is coming from and if it's serious or not. Sometimes it's just a little efflorescence, sometimes it means the place floods. How much, where, what time of year, type of construction, and a lot of other variables will affect my analysis.

Telling people to monitor something is silly. They don't know what to look for and they don't know how to interpret what they're seeing. That's what they pay us to do.

[John Kogel]

If the area is dry, they can sweep off the crystals and forget they were there.

I sometimes tell people to check their attics and crawls a couple times a year for moisture, rodent damage, fungus. They will know what to look for, damage and they know how to Google it, maybe. []

[Jim Baird]

Kurt's point is well made. Most people never go in their crawlspace. I used to carry a tyvek suit with me and offered client, if present, to follow me in. Only once has offer ever been taken.

[John Kogel]

I guess it depends. I don't have to get suited up unless it's an old dirt hole or a MH. After about 1980, crawlspaces here have a concrete skim coat and the newer ones are insulated and heated. Nothing scary down there but a few spiders.

If the access is reasonable, I suggest people store their Xmas decorations in there. That will force them to check the crawlspace twice. They can do the same with their attic.