Without appropriate maintenance, your brickwork develops cracks and other problems. Proper retrofitting and maintenance ensures that your masonry lasts for many years. Bad installations can cost you thousands, so you should keep an eye out for the following signs of damage.
Without appropriate maintenance, your brickwork develops cracks and other problems. Proper retrofitting and maintenance ensures that your masonry lasts for many years. Bad installations can cost you thousands, so you should keep an eye out for the following signs of damage.
Staining
Since staining is a purely ornamental concern, it is not the most threatening kinds of damage. Exposure to moisture, chemicals in water and sunshine causes bricks to discolor over time. Painting bricks before contacting an expert is a bad idea.
Brick requires air to breathe. Proper sealing with paint is necessary to avoid further structural damage to your home.
Cracks and Leaks
Small cracks in the mortar form when bricks level and shift with time, which causes cracking in the brickwork. The most important thing to remember is that an expert can detect and fix mortar joints and do any repointing work necessary before the small cracks turn into more serious damage. It will restore the appearance and functionality of your chimney or other brickwork.
However, without regular care and maintenance the cracks start leaking. Small cracks aren’t a source for concern on their own. But these cracks don’t stay small for long. Both brick and mortar absorb water because they are porous materials. The water will eventually freeze and small cracks will grow as the water expands and flows in..
Chimney Leaks
Rain and snow from the top of your chimney might be a major issue if it isn’t covered. Rain, snow, trash, and animals usually need to be kept out of chimneys. You run the huge risk of carbon monoxide poisoning if your chimney is significantly clogged by debris falling in towards the bottom. Always double-check that your chimney cover is in good working order.
Cracks in the Chimney Crown
If the foundation of your chimney moves around or the crown shrinks as a result of faulty installation, cracks may develop. Water freezes and expands in these crevices, exactly like it does in your brickwork. Preventative maintenance is necessary to ensure this doesn’t happen to your chimney’s crown. A crown coat can be applied, before any substantial cracking occurs,.
Flashing Leaks
Water can easily find its way into your house since the space between the chimney and roof’s structure is big enough. To seal that area, aluminum flashing is frequently used along with tar or another waterproof sealer. Flashing, on the other hand, can be damaged, and tar doesn’t last that long.
Regular maintenance of the flashing on your roof will help prevent leaking and any serious damage to your house
You can protect your masonry from all these problems through regular maintenance by a professional brickwork repairs company. AMN Masonry offers foundation waterproofing, concrete repair and restoration, and other commercial restoration services in Boston, Framingham, Lexington, Newton, Waltham, or surrounding areas. Contact them for a free quote right away.