Brick houses are a lot more durable and long-lasting than wooden ones. Because of this, many Americans are starting to request them. While it’s true that houses made out of bricks are a lot more expensive, they are a much better investment. However, problems with the bricks a person’s house is built out of need to be identified and resolved quickly. Allowing brick damage to go unrepaired can result in very serious problems becoming manifest. This article will explore this topic in more detail and tell you how to spot the signs of brick damage and the steps you need to take if you identify any.
Contact Support
If you identify any problems with your home’s brickwork, the best thing you can do is get in touch with a professional masonry service and pay them to perform repairs. The experts from Brick Experts DFW make clear on their site that they restore, refurbish, and repair old masonry work. New builds are also part of their service. Hiring a mason to come and repair your home’s brickwork for you means it will be given a new lease on life and you won’t have to worry about your home crumbling and falling apart before your very eyes. Find the most qualified and experienced service you can if you do plan on hiring one, so you can benefit from their support.
Look for Cracks
In terms of identifying problems yourself, you need to look for cracks. Cracks in your home’s brickwork are a sign that it is slowly deteriorating. Allowing your home’s brickwork to deteriorate is one of the worst things that you could do because if problems get severe, entire walls could collapse. If walls collapse, this puts your life and the lives of your family members at risk. If any of you are in the house when walls start collapsing, you could get hurt. Fortunately, if you get in touch with a team of experts, they should be able to fix the cracks in your walls right away and save you the stress of having to have them rebuilt. Bear in mind that small cracks can be sealed alone, but larger ones will need an expert’s support. Masonry sealant can be used to seal small cracks in your brickwork.
Bulging Walls
Bulging walls are a sign that something is very wrong. If you notice that bricks in your home’s façade are bulging outward, then you need to get in touch with either a structural engineer or a professional mason. Allowing bulging walls to go unchecked could again lead to the collapse of your home’s walls. Collapsing walls can lead to your house caving in, which could be very dangerous for anybody who’s inside when it happens. The reason you cannot repair bulging walls yourself is that the causes of this problem are typically structural in nature, and working on the structure of a house requires extensive knowledge and a lot of experience. Find the most qualified engineer or mason you can. A good way to determine their level of experience is to see what the feedback on their site is like. The more positive it is, the more likely they are to offer a quality service.
Peeling Bricks
If you notice that your home’s brickwork is peeling or flaking, then this is a sign that there is some kind of dampness or water damage. If this issue is not addressed, it can again lead to the collapse of your home’s walls. The most common solution for this problem is to replace the bricks that are peeling and identify the source of dampness. Once the cause of the dampness has been identified, it should be resolved quickly, so future bricks do not end up suffering from water damage, either. A plumber will be able to work on and resolve any leaks for you. You need to take the same steps outlined above in relation to finding a mason when you are looking for a plumber. The mason you work with may be able to recommend a plumber who’s knowledgeable about issues related to masonry.
White Splotches
We have all seen white splotches on brickwork before. It is called efflorescence, and it is a crystalline deposit of salt. They form when water is present in or on the bricks of your home’s façade. After the water evaporates, salt deposits are left. These splotches are not a sign that anything is seriously wrong, although they do indicate excessive exposure to water. Fortunately, they can be cleaned away very easily. All you need to do is take a brush to the walls of your house, and you can scrub these salt deposits away. Leaving them outside of your house can ruin their appearance.
Mortar Deterioration
Mortar deterioration isn’t a critical issue. However, it can become one if it’s left unchecked for a long period of time. The deterioration of your brickwork’s mortar is something you should repair as quickly as possible. Most often, this problem is repaired by replacing mortar. Mortar deterioration doesn’t just have a negative impact on the structural integrity of your home, but it can also ruin your home’s appearance. You need to do everything you can to maintain the appearance of your home so that it holds its value. Allowing your home to take on an unattractive appearance means its value will drop and you will lose money.
Mold Growth
Finally, the growth of mold on the bricks of your house can also be an indication of water damage. While mold growth on your bricks is again not a critical issue, it can ruin your home’s appearance and it is therefore something you need to tend to very quickly. You should not allow this problem to worsen. If mold growth gets out of control, it could lead to your house becoming very unsightly. It could also be dangerous if anybody you live with or you have asthma.
There are many different signs of brick damage. Your responsibility as a homeowner should be to identify them as early on as possible. Always get in touch with a professional for any brick-related issues.Â