Brick dust in the basement

[baltclown]

Hi,

I'm a novice home owner, just bought my first house a year ago. Its a rowhouse in the city.

The front of the basement isn't finished but the bricks are painted white. There is always red brick dust on the wall and floor. That wall on the floor above is behind drywall and the exterior wall is covered in formstone.

So I'm assuming that the are deteriorating bricks somewhere on the first floor front wall but since I can't see them I don't know how serious a problem it is. I really don't want to start taking off drywall unnecessarily since I've never put any up and wouldn't know how to replace what I removed. Also the problem could be between the floor board and the wall for all I know and I have no idea how I'd access those.

Is this sort of thing common and how serious of an issue is it? The biggest area where I see dust is about two feet wide in the center of the wall but there are a couple other smaller areas too.

Thanks!

 

[itsreallyconc]

1st find out the source of the dust - white paper should help

 

[baltclown]

I don't think I understand what you mean. The dust appears to be falling from above and not from the basement since the dust is red and the basement bricks are painted white. And if the source is above, I can't see the bricks because they are behind drywall.

To further clarify, the way the dust lays upon the wall and floor, its as if someone had poured dust down the wall. So from floor to ceiling in those spots there are signs of dust.

How would I use the paper?

 

[baltclown]

Sorry, duplicate post

 

[nealtw]

Have you completely cleaned this up, how long does it take to come back? The painted wall, have a good look, was it new when it was painted or was some one triing to save it?