How to Prevent Problems in Your Home’s Brickwork

Your home must always be in top condition so that you can enjoy the comfort that it brings. If not, then your home will sustain damages, and you’ll have to spend exorbitant amounts of money. It’s even more crucial to do so if your home is made out of bricks because it will crumble if left unattended, which is very expensive and time-consuming to repair.

In most homes that have brickwork, it’s usually the chimney. Brick chimneys are incredibly high-maintenance, and spalling is the most common issue. Spalling refers to cracks found in the brickwork, and it typically occurs in places with colder climates, such as Toronto.

You must maintain your home’s brickwork. The good news is that there are ways for you to prevent them before they even happen in the first place, which will be discussed in this article. Read on below to learn more.

Keep an Eye Out for Signs of Damage

The first and foremost thing that you should do to prevent problems with the bricks is to look out for signs of damages. As mentioned earlier, brick spalling occurs when there’s a crack in the bricks, but the cause of this is moisture.

Aside from cracking, the brick itself can also crumble, flake, or pop out of the structure entirely. If a brick pops off, it becomes a safety hazard because the rest of the structure can fall off.

Some of the factors that cause spalling are as follows:

• Poor construction
• Using too much pressure when power washing a chimney
• Extreme weather conditions and changes

It’s worth noting that there’s not much anyone can do when it comes to the weather, making damage monitoring all the more critical.

Spalling can also inadvertently cause you health problems as well. Moisture in the brickwork attracts mould, which can cause health problems such as itching and the skin and eyes turning red. Those who have asthma may experience more severe reactions such as respiratory problems.

Be Aware of Brick Expansion

Bricks are known to expand because of the environment they’re in. To put it plainly, bricks increase in size over time, which causes them to be cramped regardless of how minuscule the size increase may be. Not many people know this, but expansion joints can help in the matter.

An expansion joint is something that holds bricks together. The joints act as a filler applied to the brickwork to safeguard it from changes in temperature and moisture expansion. However, it’s also vital to remember that the usage of expansion joints will depend on the brickwork’s structure.

Have a Proper Drainage System Installed

Since moisture (and, by extension, water) is the leading cause of brickwork problems, you must install an excellent drainage system. The drainage system must move water away from the brickwork’s structure.

Try and check if the drainage system does precisely that. If it does, then you’re in the clear. If not, then you’ll need to hire a contractor to work on rerouting the drainage system. It can cost you, but it’s better to do it now so that you won’t have any more problems later on.

Conclusion

Chimney importance is crucial for the survival of your home’s brickwork. If you don’t attend to it, you will be dealing with many structural problems, which are time-consuming and expensive. Think about it this way: you’re not only saving your home but also you and other people who live with you.

Red Robin Masonry specializes in giving top-quality masonry services in Toronto. We believe that your home is your haven, which is why our contractors who specialize in all types of brickwork will do everything they can to keep it that way. Contact us today to learn more!