As one of the most durable building materials in the world, masonry has been in existence for centuries. But despite its durability and strength, it, just like all other building materials, requires proper maintenance and care to remain strong and stay looking good.
Maintaining brickwork is essential for its longevity and effectiveness, and one of the most important maintenance routines to be carried out by an experienced masonry contractor, is something known as tuckpointing. If your brickwork has had tuckpointing carried out, then there are a few other vital steps that should be taken to ensure that the masonry structure remains both functional and aesthetically appealing folloo2:
Ensuring that masonry surfaces are clean and free from mold
Avoiding a build-up of mold and mildew is easy if a masonry structure is properly constructed by a qualified masonry contractor, but that doesn’t mean that it will never occur. For instance, if one side of a building is heavily shaded or covered in dense vegetation, mold can quickly begin to show and become a problem if left untreated.
While you can use household cleaning products to prevent masonry mold, it often pays to consult with a local masonry contractor as to the best and most effective ways to safely eliminate it.
Should you choose to clean the affected brickwork yourself, you can use a combination of bleach and water to do so: one part bleach to 16 parts water. With a brush and the bleach and water solution, gently scrub away the mold with a soft plastic bristled brush, to prevent mold.
Avoid aggressive cleaning
Masonry should never be scrubbed hard with a stiff bristled brush, as while bricks and mortar are incredibly durable materials, they are quite porous. Always use a soft bristled brush and avoid wire brushes, while also ensuring that any cleaning solutions you use, are safe for brick. Should you have any doubts, you can always check with a local masonry contractor.
Prevent water damage from occurring
No homeowner wants water damage in their home, and preventing this from happening is a top consideration for all reputable masonry contractors. Bricks can be damaged by excess water, such as that which flows onto them from a gutter or by standing water during a flood, for example. Investing in flood prevention measures and quality guttering can be helpful, and should you have an issue with excess water affecting your brickwork, it’s important to remove it as quickly as possible so that the minerals which can break down brick and mortar, don’t have a chance to build up and cause damage. Removing these minerals is a fairly simple task with the use of a soft bristled brush and diluted trisodium phosphate.
Routine tuckpointing carried out by a professional masonry contractor can help keep your masonry in good working order, and if you pay attention to, and address any issues with mold and excess water, there’s no reason why your masonry structure won’t remain standing for centuries more to come!