The best way to determine whether your house needs masonry repair or not is through a thorough inspection, not by you, but by certified experts who have a keen eye for potential defects. What exactly will these experts look for when they answer your call? Here are 5 things they will usually keep an eye out for.
Brick houses are made to last for a very long time. The brick itself is a resilient construction material, but it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t do masonry repair once in a while. Regular maintenance of your brick house is actually the key to a healthy house that can accommodate you and your family for years without posing any risk of collapse.
Plants
Plants are harmless to your wall, but an inappropriately-placed plant can actually cause some dangers to it. Some plants, when planted too close to your wall, will take roots inside the wall itself, weakening its own structural integrity. Some other plants release too much moisture, leaving your wall too wet and too humid. Masonry repair experts will examine the plants near your wall and will determine whether they will interfere with your wall or not.
The weep holes
The weep holes are tiny holes in-between your bricks which help to drain away excess rainwater or moisture, keeping your wall dry all the time. The weep holes can sometimes be clotted by anomalous items, so your masonry repair experts will always check them during their brick home inspection, and clean out the holes if possible.
Efflorescence
Efflorescence occurs when there are tiny spots of salt-like deposits on your bricks. These spots indicate that your bricks might be experiencing too high moisture, so when your masonry repair experts do a thorough brick house inspection, they will also keep an eye out for signs of efflorescence and deal with it immediately.
The mortar
The mortar that binds the bricks together is an extremely important part of your wall. If water seeps in too much and moisture rises, then your mortar will be damaged, crumbling down and leaving space between the bricks. To deal with crumbling mortar, you will need to resort to tuckpointing, a famous technique in masonry repair. Your masonry repair experts will thoroughly check your mortar to see if the structure will need tuckpointing or not.
Signs of spalling
Spalling is another major issue in masonry repair. Spalling mostly occurs because of inferior construction materials, but sometimes, efflorescence takes the main blame as well. Checking out for any sign of spalling is a critical work of every brick house inspection, as having spalling walls in your house can severely affect its values and aesthetics.
Hire masonry repair experts
Whether you are looking to buy a brick house or to repair your existing one, a house inspection is crucial, and you should let your masonry repair experts handle these tasks instead of doing them on your own. To find the best masonry repair service, don’t hesitate to give us a call, and our experts will do what they can to provide you satisfactory services!
