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Location:NC
So I own a brick home in with cinder block walls in basement. I do not have any problems with standing water whatsoever. The problem is one of the walls is apparently moist because efflorescence stays on this wall. This wall also appears dirty/dingy and has an overall nasty moldy look to it. It has bothered me for years but I haven't done anything about it due finances and also I wasn't sure which direction to go in. I know for sure that I do not want to install the interior waterproofing system where a trench is dug along the perimeter. This just doesn't make any sense to me since I do not have a standing water problem. If I do anything, it would be exterior waterproofing but I am wondering if this would be overkill when I do not have a standing water problem, only a moist wall. I tend to live by the "if it ain't broke don't try to fix it" saying so a part of me is fearful that once they start digging out the foundation it could perhaps disrupt something and potentially cause a water problem when I do not have that problem now.
Have any of you ever dealt with this? What do you think is the best solution?
Efflorescence is caused when moisture wicks through the porous structure of masonry such as cinderblock. If this is happening on a basement wall, you do have moisture in the earth on the outside of the wall.
The correct solution is to remove the moisture from the exterior surface. This can be done by installing a french drain and applying a waterproofing layer on the exterior surface.
If you do not want to do that, there are some products you can use on the interior, but you will have limited success. The root cause will still exist, and without the opportunity for the moisture to escape on the inside it will build up. Eventually, your paint layer will bubble as well.
Yep-
Exterior waterproofing membrane along with a “perimeter” drain system.
You may not have “standing water”- but you certainly have a ground water problem. If there is a current perimeter drain system, it probably is no longer functioning properly (guessing the house is relatively old considering the block wall foundation).
Generally concur with all of the above, except... what to do first.
You need to thoroughly inspect and measure the soil for grade/pitch away from the house,
then the gutters and down spouts that RAINwater is also being led well away.
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