Salt Efflorescence in Basement Room
An Expert Report by Building Surveyors Is Advisable
The occurrence of salt efflorescence and render detachment in basement areas constitutes a clear indicator of moisture ingress into the building envelope. Beyond the impairment of appearance, these phenomena represent long-term risks to the integrity and load-bearing capacity of the structural fabric. A detailed investigation and report prepared by a certified building surveyor provides the required diagnostic certainty and enables the design of effective, targeted remediation strategies. A clear differentiation from microbial contamination (mold growth) is also essential. Furthermore, occupational health and safety requirements must be integrated into all intervention measures.
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Mold grew nearly overnight – Sylvia Bittner couldn’t believe her eyes when she moved the bed in the children’s room to one side. Within two weeks, a dark turf of mold had grown on the wallpaper from the base to a height of forty centimeters. Sylvia had only moved into the rented apartment on the second floor with her family in the summer. The realtor had told her nothing about a mold problem and the apartment had been freshly painted. In late November, mold growth came upon the residents out of the blue. Sylvia picked up the phone and reported the matter to the property manager. When after eight days there was still no remedy in sight, the worried mother of two asked the consumer advice center. The friendly lady on the phone advised her to record the damage with a camera and to put the property management in default in writing. The advicer recommended that the rent payment be made with reservations so that she could later assert claims for repayment. But Sylvia Bittner was not thinking about money at first – she was much more concerned about the health of her children.