TAKE A CLOSE LOOK AT YOUR BUILDING...

Masonry buildings are extremely durable, but they need to be maintained properly. Their greatest enemies are commonplace: water and movement caused by thermal expansion. When confined water freezes, it expands with tremendous pressure, causing cracking, crazing, spalling and deterioration of masonry surfaces. Movement of wall systems results in the cracking of masonry, which then provides easy entry for moisture.

If you see cracked joints, or notice bricks or blocks that appear to be deteriorating, those are danger signals. If you notice mildew or algae growth, or damage to interior finishes, you may be looking at signs of excess moisture in your masonry structure. And of course, if portions of the masonry appearing to be falling away it’s definitely time to take some action.

PRIORITIES OF CONCERN WHEN INSPECTING YOUR BUILDING:

1. Structural or Safety, where there is potential collapse and/or danger of masonry or fixtures falling from the building.
2. Water Penetration Through the Wall Envelope, damage to contents, equipment, interior, finishes, and/or the wall envelope from water penetration.
3. Water Penetration into the Wall Envelope, potential rapid deterioration of the wall envelope from water penetration without leakage into the building.
4. Excessive Energy Consumption or Loss of Comfort, Excessive heat loss/gain, and/or cold walls.
5. General Deterioration, Adverse Appearance and Nuisances, age deterioration, graffiti or pollutions remnants and insect invasion.

KEEP IN MIND WHEN INSPECTING YOUR BUILDING:

• All clay products (brick) grow in long-term service while all concrete products shrink over time. Unless their differential movement is accounted for cracks or other problems may develop.
• The most frequent difficulty with exterior wall systems, past and present, relate directly to moisture. Humidity, water, and ice are the greatest single cause of deterioration on masonry. The ultimate natural hazard becomes freezing and thawing of moisture within the masonry or wall.
• All materials are subject to some degree of deterioration and thus some maintenance is required.
• Deteriorated Brick or Block, visualize a brick/block removed from the wall. Primarily look for weathering (freezing and thawing) damage. Spalling could be expected in older structures, especially severely exposed masonry (not heated on one side) such as in parapet walls, retaining walls, etc. Long-term leaky walls should also be checked. Isolated spalling at shelf angles is extremely important as it indicates that a more serious problem may exist.
• Deteriorated Mortar, visualize a sample of mortar removed from the wall. Slight surface dusting of very old mortar is not uncommon and not objectionable provided such weathering does not penetrate too deeply.
• Cracked Masonry, vertical cracks in the center of walls are usually created by overloads causing compression failures. Rotation or movement could create vertical cracks near corners. Horizontal and diagonal cracks are usually created by openings punched in the masonry and inadequately handled. Settlement has rarely proved to be the culprit in our area.
• Extensive Loss of Bond Between Units and Mortar, the interface between unit and mortar (top of mortar-bottom of unit especially) is the usual location of such a defect. It is normally recognized by a slight opening similar to a crack. Hard, low-suction masonry units and high cement content mortars can cause this defect.
• Exterior Masonry Moving Away from Structure, inadequate lateral support of masonry coupled with masonry growth and frame movement, particularly roof slabs and exposed columns create this condition. It most commonly occurs in masonry panels where the backup is not tied into adjacent columns. This may happen where vertical strip windows prevent contact with the wall, or on a framing system where the columns are held back from the outside wall.
• Misalignment of Masonry at Expansion Joints or Corners, improper or inadequate expansion joints will typically create this condition. Location and frequency of spacing is critical. They must also be free of mortar to be effective.
• Sealant Failing in Expansion Joints or Other, maximum expansion or contraction of good sealants in the laboratory is 200% before bond or internal failure occurs. If the joint is properly prepared and good sealant material is utilized, fatigue from movement, or ultra-violet exposure from direct sunlight could still be deteriorating factors. The south and west elevation of a building generally provide the first symptoms of a problem.
• Torn/Compressed Sealant at Window Jambs or Other, horizontal movement of masonry usually creates this defect.
• Efflorescence (white film on brick faces), usually found directly below the point of moisture entry. Efflorescence can be caused by rain penetration as well as condensation being the source of the moisture. It can also be caused by poor flashing at locations such as shower rooms adjacent to exterior wall. It predominates most commonly in late spring.

THE BEST SOLUTION IS TO GIVE US A CALL AND ASK US TO TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR BUILDING.

At NO CHARGE we will perform a thorough, professional inspection and let you know about the condition of brick masonry and concrete as well as caps, coping, sills, lintels, sealants joints and other components subject to weathering.