Basement walls problem/question

[SMF]

Hi,

My basement walls in my 1960 home were painted over masonry. Things looked fine when we moved in 3 years ago, but for the past two summers we tend to get a lot of effervescence and paint peeling. This seems to stop throughout winter and spring despite snow and spring rains.

So I'm wondering if our problem is more due to inside moisture in summer than seepage from outside which we would be able to fix by a dehumidifier. Can this result in effervescence?

I would also like to fix up the walls but it will be near impossible and certainly a major pain in the back to scrape the walls to bare masonry. I was hoping to just paint over but have heard conflicting reports how to do this. Being that the majority of the wall surface, approx 90 percent has paint, I plan to scrape the peeled areas and they cover with primer and they latex paint. However I heard that you don't need to prime masonry first?

Any help is appreciated.

Thank!

[tom]

So I'm wondering if our problem is more due to inside moisture in summer than seepage from outside which we would be able to fix by a dehumidifier. Can this result in effervescence?

Doubtful. "Effervescence" is a quality of bubbly-ness in your soda/champagne. Or a really perky person. "Efflorescence" is a result of hydraulic pressure from behind a masonry wall.

I would also like to fix up the walls but it will be near impossible and certainly a major pain in the back to scrape the walls to bare masonry. I was hoping to just paint over but have heard conflicting reports how to do this. Being that the majority of the wall surface, approx 90 percent has paint, I plan to scrape the peeled areas and they cover with primer and they latex paint. However I heard that you don't need to prime masonry first?

You'll definately want to wire brush the loose stuff off. I'd get a can or two of Dry-Loc and follow the directions.

Thank!

Yer welcome. Tom

[Joseph Meehan]

Sorry, but I doubt if anything other than fixing the moisture that is coming from the outside is going to help.

Just for fun try this:

Get some clear plastic. Tape it securely to the wall. Come back the next day. If you have moisture UNDER the plastic it is coming through the wall. If it is on the outside (room side) of the plastic, then your de-humidifier may help.

Go out side and take a close look all around your home. Is there at least 10 feet of area in all directions sloping away from your home and is all the roof runoff (down spouts) directed well away from your foundation?