Did an inspection today on a 23 year old house. The basements wall had what looked like water streaks running down the poured basement walls. Looks like it came from the top not from cracks in the wall Had along almost all the outside walls. Thinking its from something in the building process but would it still be present after 23 years?
Looks like rusty water stains No way of knowing when it happened or if it still happening .
Use your moisture meter and write up your information seen.
I would not be concerned about how or when it happened .
I would Just write it up as stains on wall look like rusty water stains .
And move on to doing the inspection .
I would agree it appears to be some sort of rusty water stains. The moisture meter read zero… Just all over the entire basement of a 4,400 sq ft house. Would a termite treatment cause such stains?
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Would a termite treatment cause such stains?
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I do not think so .
I would not try to figure it out just report and move on .
To much or wrong information can come Back o haunt you .
Most likely caused by condensation, an 8 inch concrete wall is about R 1 point something, the same as a single pane of glass(!!!). When it is cold outside and there is any humidity at all in a heated basement there will be condensation, the solution is to insulate, preferably with a water proof insulation such as closed cell foam board. The above grade concrete will be a lot colder than below grade, so that is where the condensation starts and trickles down the walls like in OP’s pics. If the basement shares conditioned air with the house, making sure there is adequate heat and air exchange by keeping the heat vents open and ensuring there is return air down there will also help.
If it is an unconditioned unheated basement it should be well ventilated to outdoors.
Recent inspection pics, clients had removed insulation from basement wall, outside temp was about 0 F, thermal image is humidity pic, red is dew point or higher. Note moisture trails
Construction during wet weather mixed with a muddy job site.
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What Randy said PLUS running sealant at sill plates.
Sometimes we see it several times a week.