How Do You Recognize Foundation Cracks In Brick?
If you learn to read brick properly, you can easily determine whether damage to a brick wall is merely a surface disturbance or, a sign of a serious foundation crack. “Reading brick” means understanding what causes a specific type of damage on a brick and mortar structure. There are limited number of reasons brick or mortar cracks or shifts and they are easy to learn. Recognizing the type of damage you see can help you identify and properly address foundation cracks before they bring down a brick wall. Look for any loose bricks or missing mortar. This is evidence of damage that has occurred above a structure’s foundation. The cause may be rotted wood inserts, water, or improper sand blasting. This type of damage does not indicate foundation issues and is considered a surface or cosmetic repair. Check for a section of bricks with their top layer peeling off or coated with a rust-like powder. This is called “spalling” and is caused by water absorption and repeated freezing and thawing –
