# Some crumbling bricks on basement wall



## corman842 (Apr 6, 2016)

Hi! I'm really hoping the answer is that this is just cosmetic or a simple fix, but I want to be sure before it develops into something larger. I noticed that some of the bricks in my 100+ year old Baltimore City rowhome basement are crumbling with small piles of brick dust on the floor in various spots. Looks like there are places where some of the mortar has crumbled as well. I've attached photos of the problem spots. Looking around online, I've seen responses saying this is perfectly normal and no cause for alarm, to the opposite. Any insight would be greatly appreciated! Last photo is a portion of unaffected wall for reference. It's an unfinished basement, so if it's not cause for alarm, I'm perfectly comfortable just leaving it as is. Thanks!


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## corman842 (Apr 6, 2016)

Also, my apologies for the upside down pictures. I just can't seem to get that right on this website!


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## nealtw (Apr 6, 2016)

All I can do is guess. 

This appears to be above ground and subject to freezing, maybe. Water in the brick is common, are the weep holes on the outside clear.


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## corman842 (Apr 6, 2016)

Hi Neal- Only the portion surrounding that one window are above ground, the rest is below ground. The bottom of the window sits at street level. The exterior of the house is some form of painted stone as shown here. I don't see anything outside that necessarily resembles a weep hole.


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## JoeD (Apr 6, 2016)

looks like water damage to me.

Why your pictures are sideways maybe.

http://rotatemailer.com/sideways-pictures.html



> Are you holding it wrong?
> 
> If you&#8217;re willing to hold your phone a certain way when you take pictures, then they will show up correctly. See the picture below. The phone&#8217;s round &#8216;home&#8217; button is on the right side. This is the only way the iPhone knows how to take pictures without the rotation problem.


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## slownsteady (Apr 6, 2016)

JoeD: have you used that app? Is it any good?


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## JoeD (Apr 7, 2016)

I have no idea if the app is any good, I do not own a cellphone. I just get tired of sideways images so I know where to send people who can't figure it out.


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## corman842 (Apr 7, 2016)

Thanks, guys. If this is indeed water damage, would it be a situation where I would just need to determine a source of a leak and resolve it, or would there need to be repairs made to the brick? Cosmetically I'm find with it, it's an unfinished basement and I'm pretty much never down there, I just don't want inaction to lead to larger problems down the line.


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## nealtw (Apr 8, 2016)

*Just finding the source* sounds easy if you say it fast.
It could be water absorbed in the brick above or moisture from underground or something else.
I don't know enough to give you good advice, but I think you should find the cause if you can.


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## corman842 (Apr 8, 2016)

True that. I'm sure it's not necessarily a simple task to nail down the cause of water seepage, I guess what I'm getting at is once that is resolved, in your experience does a wall that looks like this require further repair, or will it be fine to leave it as it is once the water issue is resolved? I don't notice any kind of impact on the rest of the house from this, and certainly would like to keep it that way!


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## nealtw (Apr 8, 2016)

My experience is with wood structure with a brick veneer. The wood is protected from water and a gap between the two allow water to drain out the bottom drain holes.
The only time I have seen anything like that, it has been do to freezing the water inside the brick, I doubt that is the case in the basement.
It could be that the paint has sealed the brick and it is pressure from the water in the brick.
I think with this and your rotted joist we might assume it is a water issue, below ground that would require sealing from the outside. That would be digging down to the footing.
If it is coming from above you might seal the brick on the outside with a breathable sealer made for brick. That stops water but still allows it to breath and check all the caulking around windows and repair anything on the outside that might be a problem.

Then as for just leaving the inside, maybe but I would set up some inspection points. Like writing numbers on some bricks in a pattern and take photos so you can compare and monitor.
When a brick wall fails, it will start to bulge in and that can be monitored. 
Get a straight edge a strip of plywood , steel or aluminum that will reach from the floor the the joist bay.
Mark the floor 3" from the wall, mark the floor joists 3" from the wall. Place the straight edge on those marks pick a target spot and measure to the wall and log those measurements and spots for future reference.

Then in the future when you worry about the wall you can check for more damage and changing features.


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## nealtw (Apr 8, 2016)

http://www.beroarchitecture.com/some-thoughts-on-masonry-sealers/


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