To paraphrase from someone else (but don’t remember who)
I’m always hunting elephants during an inspection. Usually I just finds the lions and tigers and a few bunny rabbits.
Here’s an elephant I found yesterday. I know what did it. Do you?
Experienced guys should give the others a chance first!
Was the insulation removed when you got to the site or did you remove it? Was there earth to ground contact on the other side of the wall?
Oh, heck Erb… that one’s easy.
An elephant peed on the wall.
Smells like it to me…:mrgreen:
…all the way to Teksas??? WOW!..that’s some powerful smeller you got, John.
It takes years of practice
http://icanhascheezburger.files.wordpress.com/2007/08/dude-smell-this.jpg
Sorry for the thread drift.
Bump. The 4th pic tells the story. If your question is what caused this invasion, I’ll wait and see what the others say. 
John Kogel
www.allsafehome.ca
Where is picture two in relation to the house in picture one? It that the garage, bedroom, living room?
Ooooh, there appears to be a nice looking dead spot on the left side of the garage roof up against the dormer. :shock:
Picture two is the back left corner of the unfinished basement.
Note the concrete foundation wall, the insulation in the I-joists above, the light string for the basement light, the hinges of the door to the exterior, the insulation installed with the exposed facing (for later finishing), etc.
Larry, it was properly sloped, flashed etc. Not there, though that is always something to check. They build a bunch of them that way around here and it’s not always done right.
Huh?
No fun no more.
See the brick in picture 2.
Gary: Earth to Ground???
Erby - here they usually separate the brick and wood structure by an inch or so, to allow drainage, with weep holes in the brick (above the grass/dirt line). Also, there is some kind of wrap between the brick and wood framing. Did the insects/andorelephantpee eat the wrap? Do builders there not put wrapping these days (you know, Tyvek, Amoco, etc.)?
Ditto
Tyvek not required (according to the local code guru(?)).
Spacing is there. But look where the soil height is. Lines right up with the rot inside the structure.
See all them there termites, carpenter ants and carpenter ant eggs. (Picture 4, OP) Boy did the ants start scurrying away with their eggs when I pulled the insulation off of them.
Wrap or no wrap, the bricks that were covered by the grade were exposed to moisture problems. That side foundation wall should have just been poured the rest of the way and problem solved. I have seen where they will stud out the back wall but never have I seen stopped short on the sides. Brick is pourus and I wouldn’t trust a wrap such as tyvek if it couldn’t breathe and dry out after the moisture was present. Thanks for the pics!!
I believe many codes require 4 to 8 inches or so above grade to bottom of brick which shouldn’t be allowed under/below grade.
Keeping the weep holes exposed to allow for drainage of condensation is good and preventing ants and such from having a concealed avenue to the framing is good.
Your point is well taken, Larry.
BUT, none of this is good. Just junk work done sloppily.
Too much wine, I meant wood to ground.
Was the brick veneer on the opposite side of this wall, and without building paper and weeps, properly installed?
Recommend further evaluation, and all necessary repairs.