BAsement walls

[Gary]

The cinder blocks in my basement are turning white and scaley like chaulk. What can I do to repair and stop this from happening, so I can paint the blocks.

[homebild]

The white scaley chalk is effloresence.

Effloresence is caused by water penetrating the block from outside, dissolving minerals in the block, then depositing the dissolved minerals as crystals on the inside as the water evaporates.

Effloresence deposits are removed using a muriatic acid solution.

But removing the deposits without also treating the water problem from the outside will only leave you with badly painted walls.

One must treat the source of the problem, water penetrating the block first, and only then can the inside be properly coated.

[Sue Jacques]

In the spring we had a water problem in the cellar, we also had a leaky pipe from up stairs. There is drywall on the walls with styrofoam insultation board underneath. My husband pulled away some of the drywall and it was black. The drywall has been smelling of mildew for a number of years. When it’s hot and humid it is very damp and everything sweats. We would like to fix the problem but don’t know where to start. Any suggestions on what to do and what to use to cure the problem.

[Sherri]

I have a 5 year old garage floor that produces enough effloresence to be a nuisance. I have acid washed it without satisfactory results. I know better than to attempt to seal it in this state. Is there anything I can do short of removing it, putting down a moisture barrier and repouring the floor?

[Author]

Posts