Just noticed my basement walls showing salt crystals after 2 years dry

I finished my basement workshop back in 2022 with drylok and everything looked perfect. Last week I spotted white fuzzy patches near the floor joists on the north wall. Turns out the exterior grading had settled slightly and water was wicking through the foundation. I dug out the dirt and added 4 inches of clay fill to slope it away, but now I'm worried about mold behind the drywall. Has anyone dealt with efflorescence popping up years after finishing a basement?

3 comments

3 Comments

john_cooper8d ago

Two years dry? Man, that's brutal.

patricia_schmidt148d ago

John Cooper is right about checking the gutters. I had the same thing happen at my place in Ohio after three dry years. My downspout extension was only 3 feet from the house and water was pooling right against the foundation. I got a flexible gutter tube that runs 10 feet out and it stopped the efflorescence cold. You might want to run a hose near that corner and see if water comes through the wall.

nancy4758d ago

Yeah those white fuzzies are definitely efflorescence from water moving through." Your fix with the clay fill is RIGHT but I'd also check if your gutters are dumping water there too.