Foundation Wall

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#1

Originally Posted By: jhorton
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What the heck is this? I don’t see many brick foundations. This is an older home, would guess built in the 20’s or 30’s. Foundation looked fine except for this one section of 8-10 feet. The mortar joints look as if some mortar was missing but none was found at the base of the wall. Quality of work didn’t look as good as the rest of the foundation either. I am not sure what to think on this one.


![](upload://syJpUsrwSm6WH2V8ESUJ7bPMY1p.gif)

This is the wall next to it. As you can see it looks fine.

![](upload://syJpUsrwSm6WH2V8ESUJ7bPMY1p.gif)

My best guess is water seepage that has caused this. The grade is higher than the crawl space so this "seems" to make sense to me. Except the rest of the wall looks fine.

I am going to write it up and let the buyer decide if he/she wants further inspections. Not really sure what to write either. But my curiosity is killing me! Would appreciate any input.

--
Jeff <*\\><
The man who tells the truth doesn't have to remember what he said.

#2

Originally Posted By: gbeaumont
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Hi Jeff


it certainly looks like water damage, and pretty on going from looking at those stains and effloresence, also what caught my eye way the brick pillars, they are obviously a later addition as they are a different brick and not tied into the main structure. I’m guessing that the wall has over the years had significant water problems on that one face, and that as a result maybe the structure has been jacked back up and reinforced with extra timbers along the sill supported on the later brick piers. I think on the basis of the limited amount I can see of the structure I would have made a recomendation for evaluation by a licensed contractor or PE.


Second thought, I don't much like the look of the lower courses in your picture of the "good" bit either the courses are too irregular. It looks to my eyes that that wall has been rebuilt from the 3rd or so course up at the same time that the piers were built. I am also wondering if the home is actually built on to the foundation of an earlier property, very interesting.

Regards

Gerry

--
Gerry Beaumont
NACHI Education Committee
e-mail : education@nachi.org
NACHI phone 484-429-5466

Inspection Depot Education
gbeaumont@inspectiondepot.com

"Education is a journey, not a destination"

#3

Originally Posted By: jhorton
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Thanks Gerry. You mentioned the pillars and I had not noticed that. I looked at another photo I have and it appears the pillars were part of the wall. It appears the brick are overlapping with the wall.


As I mentioned the workmanship in this part of the wall did not appear to be as good as the rest of the foundation. With what you pointed out this makes me wonder if the section was replaced/repaired by someone else at some point? The pillar mortar joints don't line up in the photo I posted but do in another one on another part of the wall.

Since the grade is the same this could explain why only this section looks this way and leaks. Different workman and poorer quality of work. I didn't notice at the time of my inspection and things like that normally make me very curious. I tend to study it till I can come up with an answer. But I have a bruised rib and it was hurting today. All I wanted to do was finish up and get out of the crawlspace. So I am going to blame that on the rib and go no. ![icon_wink.gif](upload://ssT9V5t45yjlgXqiFRXL04eXtqw.gif)

Thanks for the input!

--
Jeff <*\\><
The man who tells the truth doesn't have to remember what he said.

#4

Originally Posted By: roconnor
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Good eye noticing the piers Gerry.


They also might be pilasters installed to brace the wall if it was moving [ http://www.nachi.org/tips/0257.gif ]. Movement usually goes along with a poorly constructed or old wall, aggravated by poor drainage, water penetration, and/or swelling soils.

--
Robert O'Connor, PE
Eagle Engineering ?
Eagle Eye Inspections ?
NACHI Education Committee

I am absolutely amazed sometimes by how much thought goes into doing things wrong

#5

Originally Posted By: mpetner
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Also, look for inconsistencies in the brick pattern between the good and not-so-good wall. Typical residential solid brick masonry structures are two wythes thick - consisting of an interior wythe and an exterior wythe. These wythes are usually bonded together in order to make for a more rigid structure. This is commonly done by placing ?header? bricks in every 7th course (or so) . The header brick is just a brick placed such that it overlaps both the exterior and interior wythe. I couldn?t tell from the pictures if they were there or not.


Also, look for consistency in whether or not they were placed in running bond or stack bond. Running bond is brick placed where the courses are about evenly staggered. And when brick that is not overlapped a minimum of 1/4 of the unit length is considered to be laid in stack bond.

This may give you some insight on whether or not this was a repair.

#6

Originally Posted By: Russell Stephens
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It appears by the picture that it is a single brick foundation. the row of brick at the bottom appears to be part of the footing that is partially constructed of brick. Where I live this type of construction is common of older homes built in the late 30’s (which in my area there are a lot of). I cannot tell if the foundation has been rebuilt or not. It may have just been re-pointed at some point in time. I have put a lot of foundation vents in these type of foundations and if you hit the wrong spot the whole section will come down. funny thing is most of these homes are 3 story homes makes one wonder how those piers hold up that amount of weight.

#7

Originally Posted By: roconnor
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If its a single wythe brick foundation there is only one thing to do … as said best by Monty Python … icon_eek.gif


Run Away, Run Away

--
Robert O'Connor, PE
Eagle Engineering ?
Eagle Eye Inspections ?
NACHI Education Committee

I am absolutely amazed sometimes by how much thought goes into doing things wrong

#8

Originally Posted By: rking
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Jeff,


Did you take any pictures of the exterior and interior living space of the house in that direct area?
My first inclination upon seeing that would have been to go back outside in that particular area and do a little more searching from the ground up to the roof, if it was a repair there would most likely be some sort of signs outside, or even inside, that that area had had some previous difficulties.
To my eyes, and I am not all that great with pictures--I prefer the hands on approach, it looks like water damage of some sort and I tend to agree with both Gerry and Robert in that regard.

--
Muskoka Home Inspections
"Wisdom is the Anticipation of the Consequences"
Steering Committee Member At Large

#9

Originally Posted By: jhorton
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Its a single row of brick the best I can tell. Since posting that I went back and looked again along the outside and nothing out of the ordinary. Brick all matches, joints are straight, etc.


There is no apparent damage. The house, for it age, is in overall good condition. A leak around the Chimney was all I really found of any consequence.

The one thing I did see is there is a valley in the roof right above this area. And as I said originally the finished grade is at least 12" and probably close to 24" above the grade in the crawl space. My best guess is the extra water from the valley has lead to water seepage through the wall.

Client is happy and I have recommended they have someone else check it out. So that is all I can do.

--
Jeff <*\\><
The man who tells the truth doesn't have to remember what he said.