Forgot the sill paper?

[aka]

In a drunken state, someone apparently forgot to place a sill gasket between the Leca wall and the building in our house. 3 Leca blocks standing on rock and then the walls come. Saw it while working in a closet. It was constructed ten years ago, what can happen? Can it absorb moisture?

 

[johnnyz]

Hello Aka. It's typical that it's missing but how does the sill look today? Moldy black blue-gray, does it feel damp? Does it smell? If it does, it should be replaced. Alternatively, treat it with a chemical called boracol until you can replace it.

 

[aka]

It looks nice, at least in that spot. To check the rest, we need to tear a bit more. Probably should loosen a bit on the outside and take a look. Thanks for the tips!

 

[Linnex]

Can't you access the crawl space and inspect from the inside instead of demolishing? If the construction is only ten years old, there should be an inspection hatch into the foundation, right?

 

[ylven]

Isn't there a 10-year construction warranty? In that case, it's urgent to report it to the warranty, right?

 

[Gromit]

I have seen "major faults" in constructions that haven't caused any problems at all, and small mistakes that have led to real mold infestations! It depends a lot on the location of the house, the weather being often/always humid, etc. A house situated on a hill with sandy soil can stand for a hundred years without drainage and with poor ventilation in the foundation and still be perfectly healthy. On the other hand, a 5-year-old house can be completely sick if it was built incorrectly from the beginning!

Is your house situated in a damp area? How is the ventilation in the foundation? Is there a risk of ground moisture? Is there plastic on the ground in the crawl space?

 

[aka]

Now I've had a chance to look a little closer on one side. Anyway, no visible stains or moisture on the wood.

But could it be that the lecablock (which has plaster on the outside) is so "ventilated"? They are grooved on the top? It's not particularly dry outside the foundation on that side either. The ventilation seems good anyway. I have no great desire to start tearing this apart... :'(