Efflorescence on house considering buying

[noseall]

Another at times major cause of Efflorescence is the use by the brickLayer of Washing up liquid as a plasticiser in place of the more expensive proprietary cement Plasticiser.
Plasticiser is used to make the Mortar "Flow" and if it is added the brickie has an easier job.
Ken

This will affect the joints as opposed the the brick itself.

 

[^woody^]

The staining indicates that either the clay content or firing is a factor - most of the affected bricks have a dark patch, or a pack of bricks were soaked or left uncovered before laying in that one area - a defined area of staining.

A leak or migrating damp would not have such defined edges around bricks or stop at joints.

 

[alanjbee]

Thanks for all your answers... sellers have pulled out and I've looked elsewhere. Annoying but solves the dilemma at least.

To answer on the bricks. The affected area is not at ground level. At least, there are bricks that are slightly affected near the ground, then more affected higher up, then completely clear patches and a clear band right the way across the front, then a more severely affected wide horizontal band right near the top of the wall.

It looks to me like it's something in the actual bricks rather than damp but not my problem now!

Cheers

Alan

 

[joe-90]

It's called interstitial condensation. Ignore the numpties in the forum, most of them are clueless. It does no harm. Don't hassle the seller next time. I'd pull the plug on any buyer that messed me around too.