3 Signs That Masonry Work Needs to Be Performed on Your Property

In Canada, residential homes and commercial buildings made of brick or stone walls may be subjected to wear and tear over time. These damages may be brought upon by the walls’ exposure to harsh elements, such as water infiltration and extreme heat. Because of these, masonry problems can eventually lead to a negative impact on your home or business establishment. That is why well-inspected and well-maintained masonry is vital for the foundation and structural integrity of your home or building.

It’s best to be on the lookout for signs showing that masonry works need to be done. That said, here are three obvious signs of early damage you should be wary of. Keep reading to see if you need to hire masonry services in Toronto.

1. Bowed brick (bulging brick)

Have you seen bricks in your outer walls either jutting out or caving in around a particular area? Those are bowed bricks, which may be caused by moisture that has penetrated behind the bricks. As a result, the moisture either forces the bricks out or softens the wood behind the bricks, making them sink in.

When you see this, it should tell you that something is happening behind your walls. For this reason, the bowed bricks need to be sorted out and fixed. Masonry works need to be performed where the impacted bricks are, as the bricks need to be removed and the damage behind the walls needs to be repaired. Hiring masonry services in Toronto can make all the difference.

2. Compacted bricks

When it comes to compacted bricks, catching them on your property is easily done, as these bricks have lost their original shapes. Chances are, they appear either bowed or cracked, which is obviously out of the norm. Neglecting compacted bricks can lead to serious problems. First, they create a hole in the wall where water can get through. Second, one compacted brick will affect other bricks adjacent to it, which will eventually impact the entire wall.

As soon as you see a compacted brick, it’s best to have it replaced immediately before it can affect the rest of the bricks. Along with this masonry work, you’ll have to have your foundation underpinned by push piers. This construction process will require spikes to be connected to your foundation and drilled into the ground for additional support.

3. Vertical corner cracks

Vertical cracks may be the least troublesome; however, they should not be neglected at all. Sure, cracks in your foundation may be pretty normal as a function of natural expansion. Understand, however, that they will allow water to get in the walls during a heavy downpour of rain, and that is where the problem lies. If left neglected, they can cause bulging bricks and damage to the inner wall.

What’s good about vertical cracks is that they are a relatively easy fix for masonry work. They can easily be worked on with urethane or epoxy injection to fill the crack. All you have to do is to leave these vertical cracks to masonry experts.

Conclusion

At this point, you now know what to be on the lookout for if you have brick or stone walls. As outlined above, inspect for glaring signs of damage such as bowed bricks, compacted bricks, and vertical corner cracks. If one or several of these signs are present, the next course of action is to contact a masonry company in Toronto and let contractors work wonders on your house or building.

If you’re looking for masonry services in Toronto, get in touch with us today to see how we can help!