Wondering what this is and what (if anything) I need to do? Anything to worry about? Location: backyard patio, desert landscaping, Las Vegas area. Thank you.

Picture of spot-- http://imgur.com/aw252

On Fri, 21 Dec 2012 12:12:24 -0800 (PST), scott
wrote:

Wondering what this is and what (if anything) I need to do? Anything to worry about? Location: backyard patio, desert landscaping, Las Vegas area. Thank you.

Picture of spot-- http://imgur.com/aw252

Efflorescence. Do you have a water pipe leak under the concrete?
Plenty of hard minerals in Las Vegas water.

Oren wrote in
:

On Fri, 21 Dec 2012 12:12:24 -0800 (PST), scott
wrote:

Wondering what this is and what (if anything) I need to do? Anything
to worry about? Location: backyard patio, desert landscaping, Las
Vegas area. Thank you.

Picture of spot-- http://imgur.com/aw252

Efflorescence.


Yup.


Do you have a water pipe leak under the concrete?


In this case, possibly due to watering plants near the patio.

The concrete in the photo is breaking up, so this has been going on for
quite a while. Redirect the water, improve the drainage, or find a way to
seal the underside of the concrete from water ingress


--
Tegger

On Sat, 22 Dec 2012 00:46:05 +0000 (UTC), Tegger
wrote:

Oren wrote in
:

On Fri, 21 Dec 2012 12:12:24 -0800 (PST), scott
wrote:

Wondering what this is and what (if anything) I need to do? Anything
to worry about? Location: backyard patio, desert landscaping, Las
Vegas area. Thank you.

Picture of spot-- http://imgur.com/aw252

Efflorescence.


Yup.


I live here.


Do you have a water pipe leak under the concrete?


In this case, possibly due to watering plants near the patio.


OP can turn off all water features inside the house. At the street
inspect the water meter - if the red needle is spinning it can a leak.

The concrete in the photo is breaking up, so this has been going on for
quite a while. Redirect the water, improve the drainage, or find a way to
seal the underside of the concrete from water ingress

The soil here is heavy with salt. It leeches up through concrete and
block walls. The water if full of Calcium and *stuff*.

My driveway is a next big project? I see what the OP has but a larger
area. 14-years old and needs to be replaced. Yesterday.

Oren wrote in
:


The soil here is heavy with salt. It leeches up through concrete and
block walls. The water if full of Calcium and *stuff*.


I never thought of that. You get very little water from the sky compared to
the north-east (where I live), so it would be expected that the salt
content of your soil would be high.

However, that salt can't go anywhere without water as the transport agent.
Somehow water is getting under the OP's slab and your driveway, and is
pushing the salt up and out. Or your concrete is really, really porous.


--
Tegger

On 12/21/2012 2:12 PM, scott wrote:
Wondering what this is and what (if anything) I need to do? Anything to worry about? Location: backyard patio, desert landscaping, Las Vegas area. Thank you.

Picture of spot-- http://imgur.com/aw252


That's the mark of giant man eating Doodle Bugs. RUN! ^_^

TDD

On Sat, 22 Dec 2012 01:57:12 +0000 (UTC), Tegger
wrote:

Oren wrote in
:


The soil here is heavy with salt. It leeches up through concrete and
block walls. The water if full of Calcium and *stuff*.


I never thought of that. You get very little water from the sky compared to
the north-east (where I live), so it would be expected that the salt
content of your soil would be high.

However, that salt can't go anywhere without water as the transport agent.
Somehow water is getting under the OP's slab and your driveway, and is
pushing the salt up and out. Or your concrete is really, really porous.

Right. After a good solid rain you can see the minerals that remained
each or so times. Folks put drip lines next to the wall, to close,
and the leeching of minerals show.

I have a plan of attack for a new driveway, at least some ideas
(another story).

On Fri, 21 Dec 2012 20:14:39 -0600, The Daring Dufas
wrote:

Picture of spot-- http://imgur.com/aw252


That's the mark of giant man eating Doodle Bugs. RUN! ^_^

TDD

I figure you would have experience in doodle bugs. Me too.

On 12/21/2012 8:33 PM, Oren wrote:
On Fri, 21 Dec 2012 20:14:39 -0600, The Daring Dufas
wrote:

Picture of spot-- http://imgur.com/aw252


That's the mark of giant man eating Doodle Bugs. RUN! ^_^

TDD

I figure you would have experience in doodle bugs. Me too.


You had a childhood too? Mine's back. ^_^

TDD

On Fri, 21 Dec 2012 21:01:27 -0600, The Daring Dufas
wrote:

On 12/21/2012 8:33 PM, Oren wrote:
On Fri, 21 Dec 2012 20:14:39 -0600, The Daring Dufas
wrote:

Picture of spot-- http://imgur.com/aw252


That's the mark of giant man eating Doodle Bugs. RUN! ^_^

TDD

I figure you would have experience in doodle bugs. Me too.


You had a childhood too? Mine's back. ^_^

TDD

Nothing makes a young boy prouder than capturing his first doodle bug.

Look what I got

On 12/21/2012 9:17 PM, Oren wrote:
On Fri, 21 Dec 2012 21:01:27 -0600, The Daring Dufas
wrote:

On 12/21/2012 8:33 PM, Oren wrote:
On Fri, 21 Dec 2012 20:14:39 -0600, The Daring Dufas
wrote:

Picture of spot-- http://imgur.com/aw252


That's the mark of giant man eating Doodle Bugs. RUN! ^_^

TDD

I figure you would have experience in doodle bugs. Me too.


You had a childhood too? Mine's back. ^_^

TDD

Nothing makes a young boy prouder than capturing his first doodle bug.

Look what I got


Heck, we had scorpions to play with. ^_^

TDD

On Fri, 21 Dec 2012 21:44:04 -0600, The Daring Dufas
wrote:

On 12/21/2012 9:17 PM, Oren wrote:
On Fri, 21 Dec 2012 21:01:27 -0600, The Daring Dufas
wrote:

On 12/21/2012 8:33 PM, Oren wrote:
On Fri, 21 Dec 2012 20:14:39 -0600, The Daring Dufas
wrote:

Picture of spot-- http://imgur.com/aw252


That's the mark of giant man eating Doodle Bugs. RUN! ^_^

TDD

I figure you would have experience in doodle bugs. Me too.


You had a childhood too? Mine's back. ^_^

TDD

Nothing makes a young boy prouder than capturing his first doodle bug.

Look what I got


Heck, we had scorpions to play with. ^_^

TDD

Show off. We had dynamite.

neener neener

Turn all water off... and check the meter. Good idea. Thank you.

On Dec 21, 12:12*pm, scott wrote:
Wondering what this is and what (if anything) I need to do? Anything to worry about? Location: backyard patio, desert landscaping, Las Vegas area. Thank you.

Picture of spot-- *http://imgur.com/aw252



You have efflorescence and it appears have severely damaged the
surface.

Age of concrete? Was it sealed?

check these out...
http://www.concretenetwork.com/doug_.../efflorescence.
http://www.cement.org/tech/faq_efflorescence.asp

cheers
Bob

On Friday, December 21, 2012 8:53:38 PM UTC-8, DD_BobK wrote:
On Dec 21, 12:12*pm, scott wrote:

Wondering what this is and what (if anything) I need to do? Anything to worry about? Location: backyard patio, desert landscaping, Las Vegas area. Thank you.



Picture of spot-- *http://imgur.com/aw252







You have efflorescence and it appears have severely damaged the

surface.



Age of concrete? Was it sealed?



check these out...

http://www.concretenetwork.com/doug_.../efflorescence.

http://www.cement.org/tech/faq_efflorescence.asp



cheers

Bob

Thanks Bob. The house was built in 2002. I don't know if the concrete was sealed. I'll check out the links...

Scott

On Fri, 21 Dec 2012 20:44:56 -0800 (PST), scott
wrote:

Turn all water off... and check the meter. Good idea. Thank you.

Sure. The red needle will spin. Outside irrigation line leaks will
show it.

High water bill?

http://www.lvvwd.com/conservation/ws_leaks.html

On Dec 21, 8:12*pm, scott wrote:
Wondering what this is and what (if anything) I need to do? Anything to worry about? Location: backyard patio, desert landscaping, Las Vegas area. Thank you.

Picture of spot-- *http://imgur.com/aw252

It looks like something undesireable has been incorporated in the
concrete. There may be some embedded metal close to the surface.
Get a hammer and chisel and do a little digging to see if you can find
anything beneath. Eg a pipe or some such.
Dig out all the crap material, if there is nothing untoward, a repair
can be made.

It may be just a localised bad mix or something undesireable got into
the mix whilst it was being laid.
There appears to be some chemical activity more serious than simple
efflorescence.

On Dec 21, 8:12*pm, scott wrote:
Wondering what this is and what (if anything) I need to do? Anything to worry about? Location: backyard patio, desert landscaping, Las Vegas area. Thank you.

Picture of spot-- *http://imgur.com/aw252

You might have a look at this too.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reinfor...orced_concrete

Actually, water bill has been pretty consistent, about $25 per month for past 6 years.

On Sat, 22 Dec 2012 05:44:42 -0800 (PST), scott
wrote:

Actually, water bill has been pretty consistent, about $25 per month for past 6 years.

Use some white vinegar to soak the white minerals. Scrub with a brush.
Rinse with water hose..

Take and post another photo of the concrete damage.