Have you started noticing these strange white chalky stains on your cinder block basement walls? The proper term for these type of stains is efflorescence. Efflorescence happens when dissolved salts and other solvable materials in water come to the surface of concrete. It is caused by moist conditions like what we, here in the South, experience. The stain itself is not a huge concern, but it is a sign that there is some water intrusion and if left unattended could worsen causing major structural damage to your home. Installing an interior waterproofing system in your basement includes hanging a vapor barrier on the walls that will prevent movement of moisture through the wall. This moisture is trapped and moves downwards into a pipe and gravel system that is installed around the perimeter of the basement and sometimes a gravity drain can be used to discharge the water out of the home. If a gravity drain cannot be used, then we intall a sump pump in a basin with lid to pump the water outside of the home. This interior system is a very inexpensive yet accurate way of waterproofing your basement. Vanguard is the waterproofing contractor in the Atlanta area that you should call to tackle a problem like this.
