LESLIE: Now we welcome Victor from Texas to The Money Pit.
Victor, how can we help you?
VICTOR: Yes, what I was wondering was my house – you know, I just went through Hurricane Rita and when I (inaudible) seemed like it was a lot of water in the house and it almost felt like it came through the brick. And I was wondering if you should spray those bricks with some type of waterproofer; if that’s even something you’re supposed to do or even something you should do.
TOM: Well, generally not and here’s why. If you seal brick, then you trap water inside and make it hard for that water to evaporate out. There is such thing as a vapor permeable sealer which lets moisture [moving out] (ph). If you do that in the northern part of the country, for example, you tend to get brick that gets more spawling from freezing damage. But even in your particular area, I think it’s going to slow the evaporation.
You most likely are just experiencing very high humidity because, remember, not only the brick but the ground and everything else is soaking, sopping wet, so that’s going to result in a higher humidity inside the air in your house and that may very well be what you’re experiencing now.
VICTOR: Oh, OK. OK. I was just wondering if I needed to spray it once I get all the brick replaced.
TOM: No, I don’t think so. I would just build it back up the way you started and once that ground and everything starts to dry out, I think you’re going to see humidity go down.
VICTOR: OK, well I appreciate it.
TOM: You’re welcome, Victor. Thanks so much for calling us at 888-MONEY-PIT.
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