Sun porch re-build

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midwestcoast

Minister of Fire
Oct 9, 2009
1,745
NW Indiana
I'm tearing into my sun porch to begin a significant renovation. Putting in a sliding glass door, all new windows including framing (different layout than current), entry door to re-place a storm door, flooring, maybe new ceiling.
The porch construction is: conc slab floor. Lower ~3' of walls are a single course of finish brick, about 3/4" air-space then 2X4 framing & finished with wood paneling. Above the brick are all window frames, then 2x6 build-outs up about a foot to the roof support.
This is a huge learning curve for me, but my first questions are about the brick: The inner surface of brick appears to have been very roughly parged and coated with some sort of asphalt treatment that is now flaking off. I assume this was to keep moisture from moving through the brick into the framing & insulation. The state of the parging & coating is pretty bad (crumbling & flaking), so any re-sealing (if necessary) looks to be a tough job. Am I correct that it was likely coated to stop moisture & I'll need to replace with something to keep moisture from coming through the brick? If so would attaching and sealing a layer of foam (XPS) in place suffice? Would that just trap moisture btwn the brick & foam & make matters worse?
I can't tell if moisture was coming through the brick as the window framing was so poorly done water came in everywhere, much of the framing below windows could be removed by shop-vac :gulp:
 
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