Should This foundation brickwork be below ground?

[icyolaf]

Need your honest opinion. I bought my house about a year ago and a neighbor recently showed me photos of the original construction that have me worried about the foundation brickwork. My house has a two-story design with a walkout basement and the image shows a section of the brick on the foundation wall that is built below the soil grade. The depth goes from around six feet on one side and slopes down to two feet on the other side. But I know almost nothing about masonry. I’m just looking for honest opinions from people who know what they're talking about because I'm concerned about potential moisture damage or structural issues. Is it ever considered an acceptable building practice to have brick directly below grade like this or should that section have been poured concrete or blockwork instead?

 

[dawndusk01]

It's preferred to use concrete or block for the below grade portion of a foundation wall, with the final surface grade kept below a distinct weather barrier like a sill plate or dampproof course which should be a few inches above the soil. Brick is a porous material that absorbs water easily, and placing it directly against soil, especially to a depth of six feet, increases the risk of moisture wicking into the wall system, which can lead to efflorescence, spalling, and deterioration of the masonry over time.

Longevity will depend on excellent drainage and being built with a dense clay brick. For your house, the main concern is that brick being underground might compromise the wall's ability to resist hydrostatic pressure and could allow moisture to into the basement wall structure.

 

[Mary_Goodwin]

I’ve seen foundations where brick below grade survived for decades, but only if they had great drainage, dimple board, lots of waterproofing, and the soil sloped away. In your case, with the slope from six feet down to two, water’s going to press against the brick. You’ll want to dig and inspect for saturation, spalling, mortar decay. If the brick is soft or crumbly, that’s your clue.

 

[icyolaf]

Good ideas. I’ll make sure to have a professional take a look as well. The house is great but I just want to make sure that I do not encounter any issues in the future. The previous owner did not mention any issues while they were living in this house.