Springtime

Spring time can wreak havoc on all types of masonry. With temperatures fluctuating between warm sunny days to chilling nights, lots of problems can occur. Nothing can ruin the start of a beautiful summer like mounting home repair costs for preventable problems. Below are a few tips to help preserve your masonry, sanity, and wallet when it comes to preventing water infiltration and masonry damage.

  • Sweep off any pools of water that may form on exterior stairs and pathways. This will preserve your masonry and prevent any slippery spots from developing when those pools freeze overnight.

  • Shovel away a few feet of snow around the perimeter of your home. If your grade is sloped properly, removing this snow will shed water away from your foundation and prevent deterioration and infiltration.

  • Ensure that your eaves and downspouts aren’t leaking down the brick walls and are depositing the water at least 5 feet away from the foundation.

  • Avoid using salt when those freezing days do arise. Salt can be very detrimental to all types of masonry.

  • When knocking snow off your boots, avoid kicking the bricks near the bottom of your door frame. You would be surprised at the amount of damage that this can cause over time.

  • On a warm spring day take a walk around your property looking for any water that may be running down your brickwork. This can be a sign of a broken seal or improper caulking job where two types of construction material meet.

  • Check your caulking around windows, doors, and flashing for broken seals. As the snow melts this can get behind your brickwork and damage your wall. If left unattended, this will be a point of infiltration during every rainfall.

  • Do not try to forcefully remove ice from masonry as it will more than likely cause more damage. If ice has formed on your brick wall allow it to melt naturally, don’t use an ice pick or shovel. This will more than likely damage the bricks or mortar. This also applies to stone paths, either use sand or allow the ice to melt. Once again, using a shovel or pick will damage the masonry.

  • If you have window well covers it is always good to make sure no cracks have formed. Although window wells should have drainage installed within them, it is always good to shed any water away from your home’s foundation.