The white powder (also known as efflorescence) on your basement walls is formed by the migration of dissolved salts and other minerals through your foundation walls and onto the surface of your walls as water dries up. The majority of homeowners clean it off and forget about it; they do not realize that it is a red flag as opposed to just an aesthetic issue. At B-Dry System of New England, located in North Billerica, MA and providing service to homeowners throughout Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire, we see efflorescence on basement walls very frequently. In this article, we explain why efflorescence occurs, whether it is hazardous, and what really takes care of it for good.
What Is Efflorescence?
When water travels into your basement through cracks in the foundation, mortar joints, or porous concrete, it picks up salt and other minerals, then travels up to the top of the wall and deposits those salts onto the wall surface when it dries. The deposit itself is not harmful; however, the action that produced the deposit is. Each time you see efflorescence on your basement walls, water is making its way through your foundation walls.
To determine whether you have efflorescence or mold on your walls, take a close look at the texture. Efflorescence is a dry, powdery substance that can be easily wiped off without staining the wall. Mold is usually fuzzy or slimy, can be green, black, or brown, and produces a musty smell. If you are still in doubt, ask for a professional evaluation.
Why Do I Have Efflorescence in My Home in New England?
The geology of New England makes efflorescence much more prevalent than anywhere else in the country. This area sits atop a dense layer of glacial till that contains a mixture of clay, silt, and various sizes of rock fragments. These fragments hold water against your basement walls and cause it to build pressure against the foundation. Additionally, the naturally occurring minerals present in the groundwater in this area provide a substantial amount of dissolved salts for the water to carry. These regional factors create more severe issues than in any other part of the United States:
- Spring snowmelt introduces massive amounts of water into the soil in a short period of time. This causes water to flow toward the path of least resistance, and in most cases that is your basement walls.
- Freeze-thaw cycles increase the size of existing cracks in your foundation walls each year and continue to add new entry points for water every season.
- Older housing stock in towns across Massachusetts and Southern New Hampshire means many homes were built before modern drainage codes, without proper consideration given to sustaining hydrostatic pressure on basement walls.
Is Efflorescence Hazardous?
The deposited salts themselves pose no hazard to your health. They are not toxic and do not affect your indoor air quality. The potential hazards come from the source of the salts. Water flowing through your foundation walls repeatedly weakens the materials in your walls, especially in older block foundations that have open mortar joints allowing water to travel through more readily. As long as there is continued moisture flowing through your walls, mold growth will begin to occur, damage your insulation, damage your property, and ultimately lead to structural issues that cost significantly more money to repair than fixing the initial water problem.
Efflorescence is a red flag. The water is the problem.
Will Efflorescence Eventually Go Away on Its Own?
No, it will not. Cleaning the walls merely removes the salt deposits but does not remove the water that causes them. The next rain or snowmelt will again force water through the same areas, and the deposits will form in the same spots. Many homeowners spray waterproof paint or a sealant onto the interior surface of the walls. While this may hide the issue from view, it traps the moisture inside the masonry. With no outlet for the water to escape, the trapped moisture will simply cause the finish coat to bubble and peel within a couple of years. The original issue will continue to exist.
What Will Fix Efflorescence in My Basement for Good?
Only a permanent solution, one that addresses the water issue at the point of origin, will resolve the problem. The B-Dry system utilizes a combination of interior French drains and a dedicated sump pump to capture water at its origin. Below is a description of what that looks like:
- Interior French Drain System: A trench is cut along the basement perimeter to capture water as it comes up to the bottom of the wall and direct it into a sump. All of our interior French drain systems are designed to function well in New England soil conditions.
- Sump Pump System: A sump pump is installed to remove the captured water automatically. In every sump, we install a primary pump and a secondary pump so the homeowner always has access to a working pump. We also provide maintenance for the pumps so that when you need them, both are functioning properly.
- Foundation Wall Barrier: A vapor barrier is applied to the bottom of the foundation wall to channel water as it seeps through directly into the French drain system, rather than allowing it to reach the basement floor.
Get a Free Basement Evaluation From B-Dry System of New England
Solving a moisture issue requires first identifying the source of the moisture and determining how it entered the basement. Our experienced technicians have extensive knowledge of New England basement construction and soil conditions. We include a detailed explanation of what we find during the assessment in our report, rather than listing services we would like to sell. If you live in Massachusetts or Southern New Hampshire and wish to understand what the white powder is trying to tell you, contact us for a complimentary estimate today.