Brick is one of the go-to materials in building walls. Many homeowners prefer bricks because of their durability, insulation, and fire resistance. In addition, brick walls provide superb home value. However, brick walls may still lose their tensile strength over time and are subject to other issues, such as mold growth.
Suppose you’re planning to build brick walls. In that case, you may need to know how to maintain them properly. As a result, your walls will be cost-effective and sustainable and thus extend their lifespan. For that purpose, here’s an article to guide you. Read on!
Table of Contents
1-Inspect The Walls Regularly
Spot-checking the brick walls is the first step of brick wall maintenance. Inspecting your walls may pave the way for early repairs. As a result, checking your walls prevents the damage from escalating too quickly, avoiding unnecessary expenses.
If you’re considering this, you need to inspect the different portions of the walls for possible damage. You may find these issues in this step: water damage, bulging, crumbling, spalling, and efflorescence.
Water damage usually happens on the surfaces where water flows. Bulging—often found in the wall’s foundation—refers to the concrete’s swelling that pushes the bricks out of their place.
Crumbling refers to the massive cracking of the different parts while spalling refers to the chipping away of some brick portions. For more information about efflorescence, you may delve into what https://rockcote.com.au/says.
2-Clean The Walls Habitually
Cleaning the walls is necessary to avoid dirt buildup and plant growth. For this purpose, you may need to prepare a brush, a spray bottle, table salt, dish soap, and a water source. You need to wash the surfaces with a spray bottle with water before scrubbing them with a brush.
You may mix dish soap and table soap to make a paste that you can apply to the surfaces. Apply the paste evenly onto the wall’s surfaces and let it sit for 10—15 minutes. Then, scrub gently with a brush again until the bricks are restored.
You can use a pressure washer to remove the hard-to-reach and stubborn dirt and grime on the walls. However, you need to anticipate and control the water jet as it could damage the walls.
3-Unclog The Weep Holes
Weep holes are tiny holes where water passes through to allow for drainage. Because of dirt buildup, mildew, or dry rot, these holes may clog, preventing the water from escaping. If these holes become neglected, they may cause water damage to the bricks.
You may use a pressure washer or garden hose to de-clog the holes. You may also use a damp cloth to clean these spaces or use a spray bottle until the holes are thoroughly cleaned.
4-Remove Molds, Moss, And Mildew
Frequently damp brick walls are prone to the growth of molds, moss, and mildew. To avoid these, you may need to avoid placing objects blocking the sunlight for the different portions of the walls.
If mold, moss, and mildew growth are already present, you may use a brush with soft bristles or a sponge to scrub them. For better removal, you may use mold removers. You may also mix a cup of bleach and a gallon of water. Apply the bleach solution to the affected areas using a spray bottle.
5-Repoint The Bricks
If the brick walls already contain large cracks, crumbling portions, and heavily damaged mortar, you may need to repoint the brickwork. This process refers to the repacking of the mortar between the single bricks. For this, you may need to apply high-lime mortar as it has low compressive strength and will work well with old or damaged bricks.
As a rule of thumb, the repointing should reach a minimum depth of two and a half times the brick’s thickness. Then, dig at least ¾-inch deep for a better repointing. You must apply a brick sealant on the repointed areas for the best results.
6-Hire A Pro
While maintaining the brick walls may be easy, fixing significant issues could be challenging as repairs may be costly and require skills and experience.
Thus, you may consider hiring a professional who could repoint the mortar, replace bricks, or even pressure-wash the surfaces. However, if the damage is minor, you may still opt for the DIY method to save money.
Conclusion
Proper maintenance is necessary to keep brick walls durable and aesthetically pleasing for an extended time. That said, apply and make the most of the tips and tricks discussed above. That way, you’d have the fine and well-maintained brick walls you can be proud of.
