Signs your brick needs repointing

Brick is the apparent part of your property, but you may still fail to notice when it should be replaced or repointed. Brickwork is not always solid and durable as it looks. It can die if you do not treat it appropriately.

What is brick pointing?

Brick repointing is a process of renewing the pointing, which is the outer part of mortar joints, in masonry construction. Repointing the brick mortar means chipping out the old mortar and replacing it with the new one. The process is called pointing because the specialists use the pointed trowel. 

Mortar is the filling between bricks that hold bricks in their place. When you lay the brick initially, one of the last steps is to point the brick. Pointing the brick means digging out the mortar and removing the excess. Repointing the brick mortar is removing and replacing the old mortar with the new one.

Here are some of the signs that your brick needs replacing or repointing:

1. Damaged bricks: If your Brickwork is damaged, it might not be just ruining your home’s appearance. It could also be letting more moisture penetrate your home or compromising the wall’s structural integrity. Over time Brickwork will adapt to damage. Seriously damaged bricks need to be cut out and replaced by the professional Brick pointing services in Bronx, with the bricks that match the remaining undamaged ones in appearance.

2. Failed or unsuitable pointing: You must have done the Brickwork in a manner that has led to the wall accidentally picking up damage. This could be the case if one replaced traditional lime mortar with modern cement mortar for pointing. The more modern mortar could trap moisture, preventing it from escaping through the mortar joints. This would force the moisture to emerge on brick faces, where it could be frozen and then lead the brick surfaces to collapse.

3. Efflorescence: Efflorescence refers to the white deposit on Brickwork due to water, including dissolved salts rising to the surface. The efflorescence from the practical point of view does not damage the Brickwork. But the way Brickwork has been assembled is causing efflorescence, so it is crucial to work with reliable Brick pointing services in the Bronx and replace them.

4. Inappropriately cleaned surface: It is a good idea to clean the Brickwork regularly; however, you should ensure that you stick to a suitable cleaning method. Otherwise, you could accidentally damage the brickwork efflorescence. When considering a brickwork cleaning method, it is advisable to test it on a small area.

5. Damp: Have you noticed the signs of dampness in your house recently? The penetrating damp might happen if water shifts from a high part of your home to another part further down. A common cause of penetrating wet is inadequate pointing to the Brickwork. Such pointing can let the water leak into the wall. However, brick repointing from a good repointing service is a good solution.

Wrap up

Brick repointing involves reworking the mortar that sits between the individual brick. It is a job that should be outsourced to a professional brick pointing services for flawless repointing work.