From The Detroit News | By Ken Calverley and Chuck Breidenstein

DETROIT, August 29, 2024 ~ Now is the time of year to look at that exterior masonry.

Masonry, like concrete, has an affinity for water and will absorb it from the air and transport it to a less moist environment.

What this means for a homeowner is that a brick or stone wall may draw moisture from inside the house and transport it to the outside. This is what the industry calls “breathing moisture,” and it is usually a good thing.

However, the reverse is also true, where exterior moisture may be drawn into a home through masonry walls, and this is not acceptable.

For this reason, the Guys always talk about applying a breathable sealer on exterior masonry such that moisture from the interior can be exhausted while moisture from the outside will be shed.

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August 25, 2024 ~ Chuck “The Inside Guy” Breidenstein and Ken “The Outside Guy” Calverly offer the knowledge and resources you need to make the home of your dreams a reality.

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What am I looking for during this inspection, you may ask?

Mortar that is cracking, falling out, or hair lining is the first thing you are likely to notice.

Mortar is a specialized mix containing cement and sand intended to bond various courses of masonry together.

It should be applied to brick or block to create a 3/8ths inch bed or joint between horizontal layers or courses.

Joints that are too thick or thin may weaken the cured product. Improperly proportioned or applied mixes can fail prematurely.

A raked joint between courses is where the mortar is removed to a surface depth of approximately half an inch, and this mortar is rarely tooled to bring paste to the surface and help seal the joint against the elements.

Raking is done to provide visual depth to the wall surface and accentuate individual components.

A tooled joint will create a concave surface at the face of the brick or block and is intended to seal the joint and create a watershed to minimize moisture absorption by the masonry.

If the mortar was placed on a hot day when the masonry was very dry, the water in the mortar will be too quickly absorbed into the dry brick and the mortar will not properly cure. Such mortar will crack and “chunk.”

Slight movement in the brick or stone or in the foundation supporting it may cause hairline cracks to develop in the mortar.

More severe movement in the foundation may cause step cracking in the mortar and, sometimes, in the masonry itself.

When the mortar has deteriorated, it can be removed, and new mortar put in its place; what the industry calls tuck pointing.

Professionals like Brickworks Property Restoration in Macomb and Bonnici Concrete in Macomb and northern Oakland County can expertly remove the crumbling joints and install color-blended mortar, properly mixed, placed and finished, as a replacement.

The same people can also take care of another problem you might note in your inspection, delaminating brick.

Hard-fired brick would be a suggested specification for most homes in the Midwest, but softer masonry units are often found on homes that may absorb autumn moisture, then split when that frozen water expands in the winter months.

Such brick may be found throughout the walls of the home but pay special note to chimneys and where driveways meet brick walls.

Crumbling brick in a masonry chimney may be evidence of larger issues in the chimney itself and should inspire a thorough inspection inside the flues and the firebox by a professional.

The clay flues that are supposed to line a chimney are often either badly placed by the installing mason, or they may have been installed using the wrong mortar, and it has deteriorated over time, creating a structural and safety hazard.

Brickworks has a process for re-lining and strengthening the old flue and sealing it such that it no longer jeopardizes the health of building occupants, and also protects the chimney itself by directing all flue gases up and out the top.

Because these companies can correctly design and construct masonry installations from the ground up, they have the expertise to properly diagnose and correct failing issues in existing structures, preserving and protecting the integrity of your home investment.

Do yourself a favor and conduct a visual inspection of your home’s masonry, then take advantage of professionals who can restore all elements to “like new” condition.

Professionals like those you can find every day at InsideOutsideGuys.com.

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For more advice, listen to “The Inside Outside Guys” every Saturday and Sunday on 760 WJR from 10 a.m. to noon or contact them at InsideOutsideGuys.com.