What is Efflorescence?

A good way to tell if you have a moisture problem is to check for stains on your Bismarck home’s basement wall. Efflorescence shows up in concrete as a white stain, almost as if the wall was spray-painted. Efflorescence sometimes gets confused for mold, but it’s far from it. Mold is a harmful microorganism while efflorescence is simply a clump of salt along the surface of the wall. 

Efflorescence can show up on concrete due to the materials used while making it, but it also can appear when the concrete itself is exposed to water. 

Water is an erosive element, so when it saturates a concrete wall, it solutes the minerals inside. The minerals loosen up, so when the water evaporates and rises to the surface of the concrete, it brings along the minerals. The water turns to vapor but the minerals stay clumped up together on the surface of the wall. If you touch it, then you should feel the grainy texture of the salt on your fingers. Because it’s just salt, efflorescence can be removed by simply scraping it off or using a hose.

Efflorescence on your basement wall is a problem because it indicates that your concrete is getting wet, and the water is permeating into your basement. This usually happens because the surrounding soil is saturated with groundwater. To stop the groundwater from seeping into your basement, you need a vapor barrier like AquaStop WallSeal™ that can be applied to the walls. Alternatively, it could be because water from the window or pipes are leaking and running down the basement wall. Either way, you should invest in some waterproofing solutions.