Efflorescence

What is Efflorescence?

Efflorescence is not itself damaging, but it is evidence that water is moving through the masonry, and that makes it valuable to an inspector. On a basement wall it indicates hydrostatic pressure or poor exterior drainage; on a chimney it may indicate a missing crown or cap; on a brick veneer it can indicate blocked weep holes or a failed flashing. The useful report language explains what the deposit means rather than simply naming it, and pairs it with the drainage observations that would explain the source — negative grade, downspouts discharging at the foundation, or a missing gutter.