Fix saltpeter in the basement

If the walls in the basement are suddenly covered with a white layer, then it is usually saltpeter. This looks very similar to the white mold and is therefore often confused. Although saltpeter is only partially harmful to health, it should be removed immediately after detection in order to protect the masonry. How this can be done easily and quickly and what preventive measures should be taken is described in the following article.

Saltpeter - definition

Saltpetre, which often looks quite similar to the white mold on walls, is what is known as salt efflorescence. So saltpeter is not primarily harmful to health, but there is a great danger, especially for the building fabric of the house, if salt efflorescence appears. The reason for this is simple, as saltpeter on the walls usually shows up when the overall environment is too humid. A scratch test can be used to determine whether it is saltpetre on the cellar walls. To do this, proceed as follows:

• Saltpetre is made up of minerals
• the scraped parts crystallize after drying
• this is the salt
• Saltpeter on walls is mostly bright white
• Deposits on the wall mostly dry

combat causes

Saltpetre can appear on the walls, especially in the basement or other storage room, under various conditions. However, if these are known, the formation of saltpetre can be prevented from the outset. Because it usually makes no sense to just remove the substance from the walls as long as the cause of the If salt efflorescence persists, the saltpetre will also appear again and again and the masonry will continue due to the cause damaged. The following causes of salt efflorescence may exist and should be addressed:

• Saltpetre occurs only at a point to be limited
• The cause is usually a leaky water pipe
• can affect waste water as well as fresh water
• Expose the line and replace the leaking piece
• Downpipe on the outside wall is defective
• Often there is a leak in the area of ​​the transition to the ground
• this is how the salt efflorescences in the basement develop on the outer wall
• Replace downpipe
• leaking terrace closure
• only a renovation of the terrace helps here

Groundwater or slope water that presses against the wall can also cause saltpetre on the walls in the basement. If this is the case, then only a specialist company can help, which has to dry the house from the outside in order to combat the salt efflorescence on the inside and to dry the masonry.

After eliminating the cause, drain the basement

Once the cause of the salt efflorescence in the basement has been found and rectified, only then can the saltpetre be effectively removed. However, before draining the basement, it is not advisable to start removing the saltpeter stains, as they will always reappear if the environment remains damp. Even after the cause has been eliminated, the basement walls are still damp and must be drained. This is done as follows:

• Ventilate the basement well for several weeks
• depending on the cause, this can take a very long time
• use a dehumidifier
• can also be borrowed from well-stocked specialist shops
• occasionally take moisture measurements on the walls
• if the walls are well dry, the saltpeter can be effectively removed

remove saltpeter

It is usually more difficult to remove the cause of the salt efflorescence than to remove the saltpeter itself once the wall and room have dried out. Therefore, when working, you should proceed as follows:

• remove any salt efflorescence on the walls with a wire brush
• Wear long clothing, gloves and a face mask to protect yourself
• even if saltpeter is not harmful to health
• there is a lot of dust at work
• then mask off parts that are sensitive to acid
• These include, for example, window frames made of metal
• Apply commercially available saltpetre remover over a large area
• also wear protection
• Ventilate the room well during and after work
• After the exposure time, rinse the wall well with water

Home remedies for saltpetre

If, in the case of a small infestation, for example a defective drain pipe, the cause has been remedied and the basement wall dried through, then you can also use a home remedy to counteract the efflorescence that has formed become. Reference is often made to the power of cola. However, this should by no means be the light or zero version. Then proceed as follows:

• rub affected areas with the cola
• let soak for about ten minutes
• scrub off the saltpeter with a brush
• Then wash the wall thoroughly
• let it dry well again

Injections to prevent neoplasms

Once salt efflorescence has spread on a wall, it can reappear as soon as moisture rises from below in the wall. However, this can be prevented by injecting paraffin or alkali silicates directly into the masonry. If a company has been commissioned with the draining, for example because groundwater has gotten into the cellar wall, then they will also carry out the precautionary measure against new efflorescence at the same time. But the basement wall itself can also be protected from further moisture by injections. This should be done as follows:

• Knock off plaster, no moisture should get on the spots
• drill holes with a drill
• about ten centimeters above the ground
• ten to twelve millimeters in diameter
• an angle of inclination between 30 and 40 degrees
• five centimeters above the first row, the second row of drill holes
• clean holes with vacuum cleaner
• Pour sealant into holes with funnel
• let it dry and fill in the seal again
• Working time for this can take five to ten days

After the boreholes have been filled, they are sealed with sealing slurry. The wall surface is cleaned overall and can then be plastered.

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