Block foundation

[ctgo4it]

Hi everyone,

Hope you all had a pleasant whatever holiday you celebrated [:-dunce]

Saw this on an inspection earlier this week. I think it's just a thin coating, and that's why you can see the block foundation, but now I'm not sure, as there was some other water penetrations on the property. I didn't get any readings with my meter in the basement. Whadaya think?

Thank you

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[ozofprev]

Concrete block is not a waterproof material. Given the level (above ground) at which the wet spots appear, I would concentrate more on the structural integrity of the block than water permeability.

It is hard to tell from the pictures whether repair has been made to the block/mortar or not. From what I can see, it is just wet.

You say there are other water penetration issues on the property. Can you be more specific? Do those issues relate in any way to the pictures you have shown?

[ctgo4it]

there was water damage on the stucco front and water pentration in the garage foundation (other side of the house). I took readings around the whole (finished) basement, but there was nothing there. You think this may be affecting the integrity of the blocks? How so?

[hausdok]

Hi,

It looks like rising damp to me. They've parged the face of the block foundation but there's nothing stopping water from moving up through the parging through capillary action. It will alternately be damp and dry out forever. If they'd stopped the parging above grade it probably would have remained relatively dry; only getting wet during rains.

OT - OF!!!

M.

[ozofprev]

Yeah Mike, I agree. If you look where there is no parging, the block is pretty dry. (Of course the pictures are just a sample of the whole.)

You think this may be affecting the integrity of the blocks? How so?

The structural integrity of any masonry product is adversely affected by freeze/thaw cycles. That is snow on the ground.[:-magnify