Guided evidence worksheet
Efflorescence: deposit location versus water route
Map deposit height, weather exposure, first damp edge and drying direction. Photograph before cleaning so the exit pattern is preserved.
Reasoning guardrail
Separate the routes before choosing a repair.
White powder is not automatically mold, and cleaning it does not stop the water pathway.
- Trigger
- Deposit height, rainfall and whether the crystals return after cleaning reveal the active route.
- Area
- Masonry
- Provenance
- Original explanatory diagram, not a site photograph.
1. Freeze the evidence
What happened first?
2. Competing hypotheses
Record evidence for and against each route.
Ground or foundation moisture moving by capillarity
Moisture rises through porous masonry and leaves salts where evaporation occurs.
Evidence that raises fit
Evidence that lowers fit
Notes
Rain entry through exterior masonry or joints
Wind-driven rain enters higher on the wall and exits at an interior evaporation zone.
Evidence that raises fit
Evidence that lowers fit
Notes
Local service water source
A pipe or condensate route feeds one masonry area and produces a concentrated salt deposit.
Evidence that raises fit
Evidence that lowers fit
Notes
3. Decision points
Change one condition at a time.
Is the deposit a broad lower-wall band or a concentrated higher patch?
Yes: A lower band supports ground moisture; a high patch supports local or rain entry.
No: Map the first damp edge during an active event.
Observed answer and evidence
Does the pattern change after rain or during dry-weather service use?
Yes: Use the trigger to separate exterior and interior sources.
No: Continue long-term moisture mapping before repair.
Observed answer and evidence
Safety boundary
Stop rather than create a better clue.
- Do not seal or paint over active moisture without identifying the route.
- Use appropriate precautions before disturbing old masonry coatings or contaminated deposits.
5. Current conclusion
