WHAT IS EFFLORESCENCE

4/18/2018 (Permalink)

Efflorescence on cinder block wall in basement.

Have you ever been down in a basement or crawlspace and saw white spots on the cinder blocks? I bet you immediately thought, oh that's mold. Well, probably not. What you are probably seeing is called Efflorescence. Efflorescence is a common problem in concrete and masonry block foundations. The white fuzzy stuff you see along the inside and outside of your basement wall is efflorescence. Don't worry, this annoying build up isn't hazardous; efflorescence is simply salt and can be easily removed with efflorescence removers and other cleaning techniques. More than anything, if you see efflorescence it means you have a moisture problem and if gone untreated can cause deterioration.

Three conditions must exist before efflorescence will occur:

• First: There must be water-soluble salts present somewhere in the wall.
  
  
• Second: There must be sufficient moisture in the wall to render the salts into a soluble solution.
  
  
• Third: There must be a path for the soluble salts to migrate through to the surface where the moisture can evaporate, thus depositing the salts which then crystallize and cause efflorescence.
  
  

All three conditions must exist. If any one of these conditions is not present, then efflorescence cannot occur.

If you think you might have a problem with Efflorescence or mold in your crawlspace or basement, give us a call at 252-433-0005 and let the experts take care of it for you.