External Wall Salt Residue and Moisture
External Wall Salt Residue and Moisture is a high-severity moisture defect SURE inspectors have documented across 403 inspection reports. Highest concentration in Ellenbrook.
Causes
- Poor drainage.
- Single brick construction with no cavity to prevent salt leaching
- Moisture in walls (common in single brick garage walls)
- Uptake of moisture, possibly related to rising damp.
- Common in single brick garage walls around Perth.
Symptoms to look for
- Lower wall salt residue.
- Visible salt residue.
- Detected moisture.
- Moisture in concrete (can cause structural defects over time)
- Potential for structural defects over time due to moisture
Remedies
- Engage a painter to clean and seal the wall.
- Engage a qualified damp proof course specialist for accurate diagnosis and recommendations
- Seek specialist advice for accurate diagnosis of the cause and extent of the damp problem
- Engage a specialist for advice and recommendations to prevent further structural defects
- Have assessed prior to purchasing dwelling due to potential high cost of reinstatement
Where we see this most
These suburbs show the highest concentration of external wall salt residue and moisture in our inspection data (minimum five observations). Click a suburb to see its full defect profile.
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Curated entries in Moisture
- Curated 2–4/5Excessive Moisture Readings
A non-destructive moisture meter has detected elevated readings in wall or ceiling linings at the time of inspection. Elevated readings alone do not confirm the source - they indicate that water is present in a material and that further investigation is warranted to rule out active leaks, drainage failure, or concealed termite activity.
- Curated 1–4/5Deteriorated Splashback Sealant
Failed or missing sealant at the benchtop-to-splashback junction allows water to track behind the cladding and into the wall cavity, leading to substrate damage and potential mould growth. This junction is one of the most commonly missed maintenance items in kitchens across Perth's mid-century and newer housing stock.
- Curated 2–4/5Excess Moisture in Walls Adjacent to Wet Areas
Elevated moisture readings on wall linings next to bathrooms and showers indicate water is escaping the wet area - either through a failed waterproofing membrane or a leaking pipe inside the wall cavity. Left unaddressed, trapped moisture breaks down plasterboard, promotes mould, and can rot the framing behind the lining.
- Curated 1–3/5Tile Grout Deterioration in Shower
Grout failure in shower recesses is one of the most common moisture-pathway defects our inspectors record, present in 9.4% of all reports. Deteriorated or missing grout - including at screen junctions and wall-floor junctions - allows water to migrate behind tiles, saturating the substrate and ultimately causing waterproofing membrane failure, tile de-bonding, and concealed wall framing damage. AS 3740 requires shower wet areas to be fully waterproofed; grout condition is a primary indicator of whether that waterproofing system remains effective.
- Curated 3–5/5Bath Hob and Surround Missing Waterproof Membrane
I inspected the bath hob, step-down, and vertical wall returns and could not confirm a continuous waterproof membrane behind the tiling. Reference: AS 3740. In my experience overspray and splash then tracks into the sub-tile substrate over time. I see this most on renovations completed before the post-2004 tightening, and still on recent unlicensed work.
- Curated 2–4/5Shower Floor Fall Insufficient to Drain to Waste
I ran water in the shower recess and it ponded on the floor rather than draining cleanly to the waste - I measured a fall flatter than the 1:80 reference I work from (AS 3740). In my experience standing water then loads the grout lines, saturates the membrane at the low point, and tracks under the hob into the adjacent room. I often see this where the screed has been laid flat to suit a large-format tile layout.