permeablility of brick?

[Dan Lester]

I noticed that I have a moist spot in the carpet in the closet near the outside wall. Very strange. No evidence for ceiling leaks, and no plumbing in the walls or floor there. But the outside wall is brick, and is does get regularly splashed as my shrubs outside are watered. Could it be that the brick wall is permeable to splashed water? The brick doesn't get rained on, because there is a soffit over it. There are no obvious gaps or cracks in the mortar, but I have no other idea where the water could be coming from.

 

[Steve123]

Brick is somewhat water permeable. A lot of variability depending on the particular type of brick.
Mortar is significantly water permeable.

But that is why there is a one inch air space behind the brick, and then a water resistive barrier like Tyvek, and then weep holes at the bottom of the brick wall.

More likely a roof leak. The roof leak not even necessarily directly above where you see the water. Could be roof leak around a chimney, vent, or stack pipe, and the water runs down the angled rafter and finally drips off near the wall.
Probably many other ways water can get in.

 

[Dan Lester]

Brick is somewhat water permeable. A lot of variability depending on the particular type of brick.
Mortar is significantly water permeable.

But that is why there is a one inch air space behind the brick, and then a water resistive barrier like Tyvek, and then weep holes at the bottom of the brick wall.

More likely a roof leak. The roof leak not even necessarily directly above where you see the water. Could be roof leak around a chimney, vent, or stack pipe, and the water runs down the angled rafter and finally drips off near the wall.
Probably many other ways water can get

Unlikely a roof leak,which is why I'm here asking. Ceiling is undamaged and unstained. Materials on the shelves above are dry.
But yes, between the brick and the wall there is likely a gap, and insulation, maybe with some water resistance. Then again, it could just run down the inside of the brick to the floor, and seep out on the floor. Yes, it could be coming through the mortar. I assume that's why, in brick housing, there is usually a soffit to keep rain from falling on the brick.

 

[bud16415]

You didn’t mention the age of your home? The materials and methods of construction have changed over the years.



I would also ask if the wet area occurs right after a rain event?



One test you can do is dry up the wet area as best you can and then go outside with a garden hose wet the wall down starting low and watch for water intrusion as you work your way slowly up the wall. At some point you should start seeing moisture inside. If you don’t then go higher getting the roof and overhang wet.



We don’t know what the waterproof layer is behind the bricks. If it is tarpaper it could have an opening letting water in but unlikely IMO it is soaking thru the brick and still having enough force to jump the air gap and make it thru the paper.



Does your sprinkler hit the house high enough to reach above the brick work?

 

[Dan Lester]

No, this doesn't happen after a rain event. The brick is shielded fromm the rain by a soffit. The brick doesn't get wet in a rain event. As I said, the issue is whether spraying water ON the brick, as what happens when my sprinkler is watering the shrubs in front of the brick, is what is coming through the wall. I had not expecteda brick wallto be permeable to water, but maybe it is.

Good point about whether the sprinkler wets the house above the brick work. That could certainly make for water intrusion. I'll be more careful about that.