Efflorescence Basement Floor
It will generally look like a white powdery substance.
Efflorescence basement floor. Time is often the best cure for efflorescence. Efflorescence is defined as the loss of water of crystallization from a hydrated salt into the atmosphere upon exposure to air. Efflorescence removal from a basement floor. In cases where moisture bubbles up from your basement floor it may even resemble a white foam on your floors.
On a slab such as a basement or garage floor or on patio blocks for example wear and foot traffic will eventually remove the discoloration. Efflorescence forms on basement walls and floors because moisture is traveling through them and is carrying dissolved minerals to the surface. To explain it in simpler terms it s when evaporated salts and other minerals from curing concrete develop into a powder like substance due to high moisture in the air. Efflorescence is the white powdery substance on the surfaces of unsealed concrete and the white blush seen with sealed floors.
Don t worry this annoying build up isn t hazardous. Efflorescence can look similar to mold but when touched the crystals crumble into a fine powder. Some surfaces and mostly stained concrete will be more susceptible to the reaction than others. Efflorescence is a common problem in concrete and masonry block foundations.
It s usually found on the concrete blocks in basements but can be found many other places. New building bloom on a brick or stucco wall will usually not reappear if washed away by rain or brushed off by the homeowner. Efflorescence is a white powdery film or dusty residue that shows up on masonry surfaces on the inside or outside of a house. Brick and cement are porous so some moisture is naturally moving through them at all times unless special sealants are applied.
Efflorescence is actually a harmless crystallized mineral salt that has formed on your basement walls over time. Causes of the efflorescence in concrete. Efflorescence is caused by vapor migrating through the slab bringing soluble salts to the surface of the concrete. The white fuzzy stuff you see along the inside and outside of your basement wall is efflorescence.
These surfaces allow water to travel within the surface. The masonry used to build basement walls and floors contains natural minerals like clay and limestone. The efflorescence can be happening when moisture starts to react with concrete causing some white stains in the concrete. Efflorescence is often described as dissolvable salts in moisture that are transported through porous materials such as concrete brick block and stone through capillary action.
Efflorescence is normally worn off or washed away on unsealed concrete surfaces. It s also commonly found on floors.