Ruth,

Most likely water has dissolved the lime in the mortar, leaving behind 
sand and nothing.  If there's truly nothing left, you'll have to 
consider rebuilding the brick portion of the wall.  The good news is 
that you'll want to do it in a bunch of small sections, so that the 
house stays supported by the part you are not working on.

This is the kind of work that gets real expensive if you have a 
contractor do it, because it must be undertaken in small chunks.  The 
alternative approach would be to lift the whole house off the 
foundation and rebuild the foundation and then put it back down.  The 
advantage is you get it done all at once and if you had dreams of more 
head room in the basement, this is your chance.

Remember, I haven't seen the building, so this is all guess work based 
only on things I've seen before.  (Assume another five pages of reasons 
why it wasn't my fault if something bad happens.)

But, don't discount water and time.  It is almost always the cause.  
Also, you may might have just found this problem, but that doesn't mean 
it hasn't been there for 75 years. There are a bunch of masons and 
chemistry set guys on this list.  They must be taking the weekend off.  
I'm sure they will give you much better council tomorrow morning.

If the web site doesn't work, try telephoning.  You may also try the 
Vermont State Historic Preservation Office.  The Pennsyltucky SHPO used 
to send them without charge to people who asked for them.  Of course 
that was a awhile ago and things may have changed.

If all else fails, send me your mailing address and I'll loan you my 
hard copy.  But it’s autographed by the authors, so I want it back.  
Okay, it’s a weird thing to collect, but I really do have a collection 
started of autographed preservation briefs.

-jc


On Jan 17, 2004, at 9:30 PM, Ruth Barton wrote:

> Thanks John.  It must be disappearing, it isn't there anymore.  No, I 
> don't
> really think it's a mouse or water, most likely old age.  Water isn't
> likely as this cellar is really quite dry.  Maybe it's the snow 
> against it
> every winter, yup, blame it on winter.  I'm sick of winter.  Ruth
>
>
>
> At 5:24 PM -0600 1/17/04, John Callan wrote:
>> Ruth,
>>
>> Take a look at this.
>>
>> http://www2.cr.nps.gov/tps/briefs/brief02.htm
>>
>> Are you sure its actually disappearing?  Its not likely to be a mouse
>> problem, water is more likely.
>>
>> You still have mice?  What's that lazy kitten been doing?
>>
>> -jc
> --
> Ruth Barton
> [log in to unmask]
> Dummerston, VT
>
> --
> To terminate puerile preservation prattling among pals and the
> uncoffee-ed, or to change your settings, go to:
> <http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/bullamanka-pinheads.html>
>

--
To terminate puerile preservation prattling among pals and the
uncoffee-ed, or to change your settings, go to:
<http://maelstrom.stjohns.edu/archives/bullamanka-pinheads.html>