What Is Behind Recurring Damage To Your Brickwork?

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What Is Behind Recurring Damage To Your Brickwork?
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• Buildings constructed professionally and from
  high quality materials such as bricks and mortar,
  should have a relatively long lifespan before any
  repairs may need to be made. But, its important
  to remember that environmental factors may play a
  part in determining how long brickwork lasts, and
  at what stage it needs to be assessed and
  repaired by a skilled masonry contractor.
• If youve been comparing a building in your area
  that is well over one hundred years old, and
  which doesnt appear to have any damage to its
  brickwork, with your own brick-built home that
  was constructed far more recently but which
  developed cracks in the mortar that have been
  repaired once and have since begun to recur,
  youd be right for feeling somewhat miffed.

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• Fortunately (or unfortunately, depending on which
  way you look at it), there is always a root cause
  for recurring mortar cracks and damage to
  brickwork, and if this is taken care of, you can
  say goodbye to costly repairs, once and for all.
• Two of the most common causes of cracks in mortar
  and damage to bricks that simply wont go away,
  are improper flashing and foundation settling.
  Lets examine the two in a little more detail

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• Improper flashing
• Whether flashing is insufficient, or doesnt
  exist at all, it can quickly cause problems for
  brickwork, particularly in areas of the country
  that experience harsh winters in which the freeze
  and thaw cycle occurs frequently. If your home is
  unable to act as an umbrella and keep moisture
  away from the top of your brickwork and mortar,
  it will soon start to absorb more than it is
  designed to handle. Windowsills or limestone
  copings in which snow and ice can accumulate and
  then be subject to freeze/thaw cycles when
  absorbed by the bricks below, repeatedly, the
  property will almost certainly fall victim to
  cracked mortar and damaged bricks.

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• By hiring a local masonry contractor to remove
  and reset the damaged pieces with proper
  flashing, you can say goodbye to continuous
  cracks and damage, and hello to healthy
  brickwork!
• Cracks in the foundation
• Foundation cracks are not uncommon in a building,
  particularly as the structure shifts during the
  early stages of its construction, but when they
  do occur, they can cause cracked and damaged
  brickwork to continue occurring, and be a
  constant and costly problem.

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• As the foundation settles, cracks can easily
  occur, and because bricks and mortar are unable
  to handle such movement due to their
  inflexibility, they inevitably start to crack,
  themselves. Unfortunately, even if you arrange
  for the cracks to be filled in, the structure is
  still weakened by the destabilized foundation,
  and in some instances, having it stabilized is
  the best way to prevent even bigger problems from
  taking place in the future.
• The importance of working with skilled masonry
  contractors
• Your masonry is at the heart of your brick home,
  and protecting it by having it professionally
  assessed and repaired when necessary, is a simple
  step all responsible homeowners should take. DIY
  efforts to repair cracks will likely not be
  sustainable, and may even cause more damage in
  the long term.

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• Help your brickwork look and perform at its best
  for many more years to come (just like that
  historic brick building in your neighborhood!),
  by working with local masonry experts as soon as
  you see any hint of a crack or crumbling mortar.
• RZ Construction Group Inc is one of the best
  fully inclusive construction companies in Queens,
  NY. From initial design to final clean up, our
  results speak for themselves. We are fully
  licensed, insured, and bonded to provide both
  commercial and residential construction services
  to customers in Queens and the surrounding area.
  We also offer kitchen and bathroom remodel in
  Astoria. Proud to serve New York State for 25
  years. No job is too small nor too big. If you
  are looking for bathroom renovation in Queens, NY
  or want to know more about our wide range of
  professional but affordable construction and
  repair services, reach out to us at (718)
  938-9887.