Achieving an energy-efficient home that saves you money on your utility bills as well as reducing your carbon footprint, is the dream for most people, but did you know that by maintaining your brickwork, you can make that dream a reality?
Brickwork is typically overlooked when homeowners consider energy efficiency, but when masonry is kept in good condition with no cracks or gaps, it can significantly improve a property’s insulation values.
It’s not unusual to see crumbling mortar, cracked bricks and small gaps appearing in the brickwork of a building, particularly in those that are older or which are exposed to environmental factors that may cause the masonry to deteriorate at a faster rate. When this happens, aside from looking unsightly, it can also compromise the insulation barrier of the property, and ultimately, make it a lot less energy efficient.
To explore this in a little more detail, let’s look at the importance of keeping a property’s brickwork in tip top condition, and how exactly that can be done:
What role does brickwork play in keeping a building insulated?
It’s not uncommon for home and commercial building owners to focus solely on loft insulation and cavity walls when trying to make a property more energy efficient, but failing to address the brickwork can be a mistake. While bricks do make outstanding thermal insulators, should their condition become an issue due to a variety of causes (such as wear and tear, environmental factors or poor maintenance), their integrity can quickly become compromised, as can the energy efficiency of the building.
Air can easily leak out of a building when there are cracks and gaps in the brickwork, and over time, this can amount to a significant escaping of heat during the winter months, and an influx of heat during the summer. What does this mean for your home or commercial property? You’ll struggle to regulate the temperature inside the building, and if the mortar between the bricks has also deteriorated, this can further exacerbate the issue and make the building even less energy efficient.
How important are brickwork repairs to a buildings energy efficiency?
The structural integrity of brickwork is restored when it undergoes repairs to address cracks in the bricks, and damaged mortar, and in some instances, severely damaged bricks may be replaced to help reinstate the insulation barrier of the building. When this happens, the masonry contractor will ensure that the new bricks used match the old ones perfectly, to help the property maintain its aesthetic appeal.
When brickwork is expertly repaired, it also contributes to the property’s structural stability, as well as enhancing its insulating barrier, which makes it an investment that’s doubly worthy.
What role does repointing play?
In the process of repointing, the mortar joints between bricks is renewed, which can help prevent heat from leaking out and causing the building owners energy bills to rise.
Mortar commonly degrades over time, and this is usually due to its constant exposure to the elements, but when it does, it can cause the joints to weaken, meaning that the bricks are no longer adequately sealed. Naturally, this leads to a loss of heat inside the building and a decrease in its energy efficiency.
During the process of repointing, expert masonry contractors meticulously remove the mortar that has deteriorated and replace it with fresh mortar. This thorough and delicate process doesn’t just help a property to be better insulated, but also stops water from being able to penetrate. Water penetration can cause all manner of damage to a building, and if the brickwork is left unrepaired, it can lead to dampness and mold.
Never underestimate the importance of maintaining brickwork when trying to improve your home’s energy efficiency. To help keep you warm this winter, and cool when summer arrives, seek help from a local masonry contractor to have your brickwork assessed and repaired if necessary.