"Joe" wrote in message
...

Is this normal or is it a sign that I need to do something? . . .
I read online ads from waterproofing companies that
it's a sign that moisture is seeping through my foundation. I'm going
to have a contractor come in to look at it this weekend but I
understand that there are a lot of scare tactics employed by these

Before the contractor arrives, test for damp. This is done
by taping 8x11-inch sheets of plastic to various spots on
the wall, and seeing how many days it takes before
drops of moisture appear between plastic and wall.

Dry efflorescence from masonry is hardly ever structurally
important -- usually just a nuisance (an extra source of
dust.) If you do not like to see it, think about having the
basement drywalled. Your contractor can estimate costs.

--
Don Phillipson
Carlsbad Springs
(Ottawa, Canada)