Meet Dustin G., a system design specialist from Frontier Basement Systems in
Clarksville, TN. Frontier Basement Systems has been helping homeowners in Central Tennessee and Southwestern Kentucky solve their problems since 2002. They specialize in wet and flooded basements; decaying, moldy crawl spaces, structural foundation damage and they also provide radon testing and mitigation.
In this episode of HomePro, Dustin walks us through the inspection of a home whose owner complained about a white, powdery substance appearing all over the basement walls.
This white, powdery, sometimes sparkly substance, often mistaken for mold, is called efflorescence. It appears when ground water carrying salt and other minerals within it infiltrates the concrete walls, and then evaporates into the basement, leaving behind these powdery mineral deposits on the wall surface. There are many ways to clean it. Dustin recommends using water and a wire brisk brush to scrub it off. Dustin cautions homeowners to stray away from covering the walls with waterproofing coats or waterproofing paints as these are only temporary solutions that will only mask the problem.
It is important to address the true cause of the problem which is oversaturated soil around the foundation walls due to poor foundation drainage. If this problem is not corrected, the efflorescence will keep coming back.
Keep in mind that poor foundation drainage can lead to even more problems over time, such as compromising of the home’s structural integrity. Homeowners should consider efflorescence as an early symptom of a bigger problem and get it solved right away.
To learn more about efflorescence and other foundation drainage problems, as well as the many options to fix them, visit our website or call for a Free Inspection and Estimate.
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