Foundation Wall Inspection

What do you see in this photo?

I see disintegrating brick (red arrow);
Wall debris on the floor (blue arrows);
Crumbling mortar (orange arrow);
Moisture on the floor; and
Bowing walls

These walls should be stabilized.

Now, what do you think of this foundation wall?

This photo is from the same house as the previous photo. There is lean to the wall. The cause of the lean was deemed to be earth pressure over more than a century. Lally column next to the wall was added several decades ago and has not yet been impacted by movement of the wall. Mortar for brick on top of the wall is intact (e.g., not cracked or missing), and also not new. The diameter of the front face of the stones is moderately large, and the depth of the stones into the face of the wall are also likely large.

Our recommendation for this wall is to monitor for movement or other signs of degradation. In particular, the bottom stones should not touch the lally column. There are also other possible signs and indications that repair would be needed.

Nancy J. Nichols, P.E.
Senior Engineer