HouseSymptoms field intelligence
Symptoms
Start with the visible, audible, physical or measurable sign—not the name of the fault.
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White powder on a basement wall
A crystalline white deposit is often efflorescence: salts carried to the surface by moving moisture.
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Basement water after a storm
Liquid water appears during or shortly after severe rain.
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Sump pump hums but moves no water
Motor operates without expected discharge.
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Wastewater rises through a floor drain
Contaminated water reverses into the building.
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Damp band at the basement floor edge
Moisture or darkening follows the wall-to-floor junction.
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Sump pump runs constantly
Pump operation continues long after rain or groundwater inflow.
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Musty basement after heavy rain
Earthy odor increases following substantial rainfall.
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White crystals on a basement wall
Powdery or crystalline deposits appear on masonry.
