Brickwork Basics

Don’t take your home’s brickwork for granted. Although one of the most durable building products on the planet, even the best brickwork will deteriorate over time. Yearly freeze/thaw cycles, extremes of heat and cold, rain and snow, will all eventually take their toll on brick walls.

Here are a few of the signs that your home’s exterior might need tuckpointing or brickwork repairs:

Efflorescence – A powdery, white substance that occurs in wavy lines or blotches on brick walls. Efflorescence is created when moisture seeps into the brick, leaving a powder of crystallized mineral particles behind. Although efflorescence itself is harmless, it does indicate moisture problems that should be investigated.

Chimney deterioration – Chimneys are a common problem area because they bear the brunt of weather extremes. Make sure the chimney is checked annually for signs of deterioration. Poorly-constructed mortar caps are often to blame for exterior brick problems. If the chimney has deteriorated to the point of missing or falling bricks, replacement is likely the only solution. However, annual inspections can often nip these problems in the bud.

Eroding mortar – Mortar will usually wear out before the bricks. This is because mortar is deliberately softer than the bricks to absorb expansion and contraction movement and to prevent bricks from cracking. Tuckpointing, the process of chipping out loose mortar and repacking new mortar into the joints, is the fix for cracked and deteriorating mortar joints

Diagonal cracks – Small cracks, usually found near corners of doors and windows, can be fixed with tuckpointing. Larger, wider cracks might require relaying the brickwork.

To keep your brickwork in good repair, make sure eavestroughs are free of debris and in good repair. Also ensure that water runoff is directed away from the foundation and that the soil slopes away from the foundation.

Source: Homeservice Club