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  1. #1
    Cody Atkinson's Avatar
    Cody Atkinson Guest

    Default Black Stai Observed at Brick ledge

    I observed a Black Stain at the front left corner. House is a Post Tension Slab.

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  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Spring Hill (Nashville), TN
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    5,851

    Default Re: Black Stai Observed at Brick ledge

    Looks like something was pushed up against the side of the house at sometime. Does not look like a problem in the picture. If it was the PT cable rusting you would see a rust color stain.

    Scott Patterson, ACI
    Spring Hill, TN
    www.traceinspections.com

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Connecticut
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    Default Re: Black Stai Observed at Brick ledge

    First rule when you see a stain, Look up.


  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
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    Fletcher, NC
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    28,032

    Default Re: Black Stain Observed at Brick ledge

    Quote Originally Posted by wayne soper View Post
    First rule when you see a stain, Look up.
    Good advice.

    Almost looks like someone set off some firecrackers there.

    Jerry Peck
    Construction/Litigation/Code Consultant - Retired
    www.AskCodeMan.com

  5. #5
    Richard Stanley's Avatar
    Richard Stanley Guest

    Default Re: Black Stai Observed at Brick ledge

    Is that a removable cover to something?? or the perimeter of a room addition??


  6. #6
    Cody Atkinson's Avatar
    Cody Atkinson Guest

    Default Re: Black Stai Observed at Brick ledge

    Perimeter. I see stains all the time on houses (and always look up), but this almost look like something burned in the area. No mouisture detected in area. Flower bed sprinkler system nearby. Nothing observed inside the house at same area. No efflorecence. Thanks for the feedback


  7. #7

    Default Re: Black Stai Observed at Brick ledge

    Quote Originally Posted by Cody Atkinson View Post
    I observed a Black Stain at the front left corner. House is a Post Tension Slab.
    Was this a question or a statement of fact? If you are asking, make it clear. The biggest part of this profession is how we report things.


  8. #8
    Kevin Barre's Avatar
    Kevin Barre Guest

    Default Re: Black Stai Observed at Brick ledge

    Based on what I see, I have to vote for some sort of water issue. I enlarged the pic, and some things stood out. First, there is a vertical division in the brick veneer on the left side of the stain. That indicates a break, a difference in construction techniques on either side of the joint. The brick is on different vertical planes to either side of the joint. A few observations:

    1. The black stains basically do not cross the vertical line to the left.
    2. The pattern of the staining is not consistent with a fire. It's not larger at the bottom than the top. Nor is the color consistent. I would think a fire would stain the brick and concrete roughly the same.
    3. More importantly, there does appear to be some efflorescence in the pic. If not, what is the whitish material in the mortar joints below the brick and on the side of the slab? If efflorescence is the case, what is the answer other than moisture moving through the wall?
    4. The mulch color is darker in front of the stained area on the wall and to the right of it. May be coincidence...but may not be. The outside grade seems to slope down from left to right. In any case, moisture working its way thru the wall would explain the efflorescence. (Nothing else that I am aware of would.)

    So where is the water entering? I don't know from just this one pic. But as Wayne more or less said, "Look up." If that doesn't answer it, them look everywhere else. One thing is for certain: water runs downhill.

    The issue may be as simple and "relatively" harmless* as water standing on the exposed edge of the slab and then seeping in under the brick into the wall cavity -- until the weep holes which I "assume" are there allow it to drain out. But we all know that weep holes are not always placed properly, or a clear path left open for water to find its way to the holes. For instance, I see no flashing at the base of your brick veneer where it sits on the slab.



    * assuming the the floor line is well above the foundation line and there are proper weep holes in the veneer.


  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Location
    Fuquay Varina, NC
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    1,074

    Default Re: Black Stai Observed at Brick ledge

    Looks like a burn mark to me. Maybe the owner sprayed lighter fluid on some ants and lit it or worse yet termite tube. Looks like started from grade and flame upwards.

    Mike Schulz License 393
    Affordable Home Inspections
    www.houseinspections.com

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