What's up with this parging

[Michael Thomas]

I've never seen anything quite like this before. Parged wall, moisture not elevated at time of inspection, but based on the deterioration, efflorescence, etc. has been wet in the past. The motted areas are somewhat "shiny", not matt, and the streaks below some dark patches look like material running down the walls, it seems in some ways as if something applied as a undercoat was leaching through, OTOH, pattern looks so "mold-like".

[Jerry Peck]

Michael,

Basement wall?

Above grade, below grade, partially below grade?

Looks like water intrusion through the wall, so I an suspecting it is a below grade, or at least partially below grade, wall.

That rust stain looks like it had a nail there at one time, as evidenced by the point cracking at that location.

[wayne soper]

Yes, looks like water. But a word from past experience that that reminded me of was this. Basement wall appearred moist. Big spot. 4 feet in diameter.
Funny how it smelled like Oil and the active tank was just outside. WHat a mess. Seeped right through the wall.

[Michael Thomas]

Michael,

Basement wall?

Above grade, below grade, partially below grade?

Looks like water intrusion through the wall, so I an suspecting it is a below grade, or at least partially below grade, wall.

Grade is a few inches below the window in the first picture.

[Michael Thomas]

Yes, looks like water. But a word from past experience that that reminded me of was this. Basement wall appearred moist. Big spot. 4 feet in diameter.
Funny how it smelled like Oil and the active tank was just outside. What a mess. Seeped right through the wall.

Oh man, I'd hate to be the inspector who missed that.

The possibility of decommissioned oil heat was very much in my mind at this property, its old enough, but there was no evidence of filler or vent tubes, an oil line at the floor, a cut-off switch at the top of the stairs or an auto-cutoff on the ceiling. And that side of the house is around 6 feet from the next building over, and both are 100+ years old, so if there was a buried tank it would have been on in the front or rear yard, not on that side.

That black mottling did have sort of petroleum-based product sheen to it, though.

[Jerry Peck]

Grade is a few inches below the window in the first picture.

Well ... most of it is below the window, and the height of it above the grade level could be saturation and soaking into the wall for the past 100 years ...


That black mottling did have sort of petroleum-based product sheen to it, though.

Could there have been an oil line(s) through the wall which was parged over?

If so, oil could have leaked outside that wall.

On those old homes, what was used as "waterproofing" on those walls? A petroleum based mixture (think 90 weight gear oil) mopped onto those walls? (I have no idea what was used 'back then', however, I am sure they used what was handy and locally available, maybe creosote type stuff?

[Michael Thomas]

There is no "waterproofing" on the other three walls, at least that's apparent through the paint.

The city passed these panels - I did manage to get into the one on the left, but it was not easy.

Anyone who wonders how it's possible to spend four hours an an inspection should have been at this house of wonders.