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One of the standout features of your house's foundation is the enduring strength of its brick walls. Designed to withstand the test of time, they are expected to last for decades. However, sometimes, environmental factors can deteriorate brick walls severely.
In such situations, you must fix your brick wall as it can further damage your home’s structure and interior. Here are four signs the bricks in your home need to be replaced or repaired, along with how to prevent damage.
Signs Your Brick Walls Need to Be Repaired or Replaced
Wear and damage in bricks can affect your house's integrity and cause further damage over time, so fixing them on time is best. Here’s what to look out for:
1. Old Mortar
Brick or stone masonry walls typically need repointing every 15 to 20 years, but sometimes, they may need to be repaired early due to disintegrating mortar. Mortar is a paste that keeps the bricks in place. It comprises water-absorbing materials like sand, which wears off before your house bricks show any damage.
When mortar deteriorates or shifts, it can cause bricks to rub against each other and become misshapen, affecting the structural integrity of your place. You can check if your mortar is affected if you notice cracks or soft parts in the mortar. It's best not to DIY the repair as improper work can lead to additional issues like accelerated wear of bricks. Instead, visit this website to hire experts to fix brick walls.
2. Bulging Bricks
Bulging bricks, also called frost boil, happen when the moisture gets in the inside layer of your brick masonry, which weakens its backing. With no proper support to stick to the wall, the bricks start bulging out. This is common in very cold areas with snow due to the freeze-thaw cycle. Your masonry contractor will fix this by removing affected bricks, repairing the damage, and replacing it with new bricks.
3. Bowed Bricks
Bricks can change their original shape and position when water enters and damages it. One water-impacted brick often implies the presence of others. These signs can detect interior damage caused by water entering your house through the cracks:
Moisture buildup on walls
Deformed windows
Cracked plaster
Uneven floors
Mold
Doors not closing properly
To fix this, your masonry contractor will need to replace the selected areas and might need to add push piers to your house's foundation.
4. Cracked Bricks
Cracks can appear in your brick over time, but crevices at an angle greater than 30° can put your masonry structure at risk of collapsing. Your contractor can fix this by filling the cracks in the bricks to prevent water from entering your house or freezing, preventing frost boil.
Sometimes, bricks may get internal cracks, softening, and starting to break from the inside. If you notice your house’s structure is leaning, bowing, or unstable, you’ll have to replace the bricks.
How Do You Prevent Brick Walls From Further Damage?
If you notice any of the signs mentioned above on your walls, it is crucial to call a professional to fix it. You can take the following steps:
The transition from warm and wet to cold winters can lead to water seeping into minor masonry cracks, freezing, and causing more damage. To detect this early on, you should inspect your masonry at the beginning of each season to check for any effects from freezing and thawing.
Maintain your masonry's structural integrity and aesthetics, consider annual inspections by an expert, and promptly address any minor issues.
Overgrown vegetation can pose significant threats to the durability of your brick, so it's crucial to promptly remove it, including its roots, to prevent regrowth.
Endnote
Brick walls are strong structures made to stand over decades, but sometimes, harsh weather or water seepage can damage them, needing repairs to prevent further harm. Cracks or softness in the bricks or mortar indicate damage. Other signs of wear include bulging or bowing due to water infiltration. If you find any damage, it's best to call an expert to fix it.
