Maintaining A Brick House That Will Outlast A Lifetime

Bricks are naturally durable.  Since the olden times, bricks were already used in building houses, roads and even bridges.  The Romans built roads that are still being used today.  You would see old houses in other countries made out of bricks and are still standing strong today.  Even though they didn’t had diamond tools such as a core bit or a diamond blade, which can cut these bricks, they were still able to construct buildings and roads that are now considered a pat of the community’s heritage.

Although bricks are known for its durability and strength, owners of brick houses or buildings should still maintain and clean the bricks to prevent unwanted substances from destroying it.  Here are 5 easy guidelines on how you can maintain your brick house and make it last more than a lifetime.

1.     The damage usually starts with the mortar used in holding the bricks together.  Checking this annually will help you see if the mortars used are already breaking up.  If there are any destroyed mortars, you can replace it.  Use a chisel to remove the destroyed ones and clean it before applying the new mixture. 

2.     Inspecting the bricks regularly would also allow you to see if there are molds, mildew and moss that are already forming which can slowly destroy your bricks.  If these are evident, you can simply use house bleach and water for scrubbing the brick wall.

3.     Remove vines that are crawling on the surface of the bricks.  This may look good aesthetically but it can erode it eventually.  Cut the bottom part of the vines and let it naturally dry up.  Pulling them in an instant may destroy your brick wall.

4.     Regularly clean the weep holes.  These holes functions as moisture drain that will help in preventing water from destroying the brick wall.

5.     Check for salt crystals on the surface.  This builds up as water touches the surfaces of the bricks.  Cleaning these chalk-like deposits on your brick wall with water and brush would lengthen the life of your bricks.

Building a brick house is not that easy especially if it was built when tools such as a diamond blade or a core bit were not yet around.  But maintaining it is a different story.  If you want to pass on the heritage to the next generation, you should intentionally maintain your brick house.  If maintained regularly your brick house will last more than a lifetime.