Water, Wet Basements, and Failing Mortar

I recently did an inspection where the basement was very damp and live water visible on the floor. The source appeared to be two fold, a sump pump and failing mortar in a rubble foundation with holes and cracks. The house was circa 1920, and the condition was what you would expect if little to no maintenance work had been performed, i.e., seeping water, rust stains, little piles of mortar on the floor along with actual pieces of rock.

Foundations of this era and earlier, built with rock or field stone, with generous amounts of mortar deteriorate over time, especially over 80 years. They are porous at best and will require a masonry contractor to decide whether repairs can be made to waterproof and more importantly whether there is a possibility of collapse. Indications of the foundation not supporting the weight are floor and joist separation, as well as bowing in the walls/siding above the affected area, etc. Luckily, there was no such signs in this particular home, though I have seen them before.

Be on guard when you are looking at homes of that era , the 60 years plus age, as this type of foundation can be problematic if it has not been upgraded or maintained. There are older homes with large blocks of granite that have considerably more support, and a lot less mortar, but these seem to have faired better over time. Be particularly focused on homes that have a combination of rubble and brick on top, as this was also popular in the old days and has issues as well to do with brick and mortar failure.

A dry basement and a solid foundation are essential  for a  good house, so keep a weather eye out for these items when shopping for your next home or inspecting one.