Leak Repairs on Masonry Elevations

Here at Best Brickmasters we pride ourselves in providing solutions to all types of leaks which occur on masonry walls. Below are just a few of the prevalent causes found here in the Chicagoland area. We have included basic descriptions of occurring problems as well as the sort of work which can be done to remedy these problems. Please note that each building which we work on is different, and that your leak can be caused by one, or a combination of a few of the causes found below. Please contact our offices at: 773-794-1400 or office@illinoishomeimprovement and we will have one of our managers come by and take a look your building.

Leak on CMU Walls:

CMUs (Concrete Masonry Units) sometimes referred to as concrete blocks or cinder blocks are porous and if not sealed at the factory or on the jobsite during installation they can soak up large quantities of water. In fact, part of regular CMU maintenance includes the application of masonry sealer every few years depending on climate and adverse weather conditions. Maintaining CMU walls in Chicago is especially important due to the harsh effects of the Winter Freeze/Thaw cycle as well as regularly occurring wind driven rain.

In our experience most leaking CMU walls were never sealed at the factory, upon completion of installation, or have not been sealed for longer then the recommended 3-5 years. In order to remedy leaking caused by unsealed CMU, Best Brickmasters can apply masonry sealer to your CMU walls. To determine if CMU needs to be treated with masonry sealer, we frequently perform RILEM test.

RILEM test provides information about how water moves through porous materials such as masonry. Presence of water within masonry material has been always associated with process of deterioration of said material. RILEM test helps to establish just how much water is absorbed by the masonry, thus helping to determine if sealer application is necessary.

Brick Walls:

Leakage in brick walls usually occurs for a variety of reasons: cracks in mortar, improper weep chord installation, improper control joint placement, and improper brick arch installation and rusting / expanding lintels. For detailed information on Cracks in Mortar and Lintels, please refer to the sections below. Two of the tell tale signs of moisture and water penetration into a brick wall are: visible interior leakage present on walls, and ceilings and second a white powdery substance known as efflorescence. This powder forms on the outside surface of bricks when moisture in the brick evaporates and brings the minerals from the bricks clay to the surface. This sort of condition left unchecked can lead to the deterioration of the bricks’ structural integrity and can result in spalled or “popped” bricks in the wall.

When assessing the type of leak which is present on your walls, Best Brickmasters will attempt to find all possible causes which are causal factors in the occurring leakage. You will receive an estimate for repair of each individual problem that is causing the leakage.

Hairline cracks allow water to penetrate		Hairline cracks are the cause of water penetration		Dark spots on CMU blocks show high level of water absorption		CMU absorbing water
Grinding out visible cracks in mortal on the CMU wall		Grinding out visible cracks in mortal on the CMU wall		Sealer application in progress		Sealer application over CMU wall