Ways to Maintain Bricks

Using facade bricks often adds beauty to a structure; therefore, it is essential to maintain them in the best possible way. Otherwise, they may become damaged and even lose their aesthetic appeal. Stay with us as we introduce methods to ensure the beauty of your building’s facade.

?Why Should We Maintain Facade Bricks

It is clear that bricks are very flexible and designed for long-term use; however, environmental factors such as moisture, intense sunlight, mold, and wind can have a small but destructive impact on them. Implementing maintenance methods for facade bricks ensures that your structure remains free from damage and increases its lifespan. Moreover, the cost of maintaining facade bricks is much lower than the cost of repairing them.

Methods for Maintaining Facade Bricks

:Now that you understand the importance of maintaining facade bricks, let’s explore the best methods suggested for brick maintenance

• Regular Inspection of Brick Walls

First and foremost, it is important to remember that if you want your structure’s walls to remain intact, you must conduct a thorough inspection of them. Additionally, facade brick walls have higher priority, and you need to check for any defects in the facade and repair them if necessary. During this inspection, you should pay attention to items such as connections, crumbling mortar, mold or moss, brick stains, and cracks. If any of these issues are present, take action to repair them to prevent more severe damage.

A practical tip for maintaining facade bricks is to spray water on the wall to check for weak points. If the wall’s mortar is damaged, it will become apparent, allowing you to prevent wall subsidence. Additionally, this process helps clean the bricks and prevent mold growth.

• Washing: Wash your bricks with a strong stream of water and allow them to air dry for 6-12 hours. It is best to perform this task at a temperature of 45-55°F (7-13°C) for optimal results.
• Cleaning Solution: Once the wall has dried, mix a bucket with 4 liters of water and 1 tablespoon of bleach. Using rubber gloves and a thick brush, clean the bricks thoroughly.

• Maintaining Facade Bricks Against Efflorescence

Efflorescence, or white staining, is a threat to the health and beauty of your facade. To counter this, you need to think about solutions. But first, let’s examine the main cause of efflorescence. In fact, efflorescence occurs due to the presence of salt and minerals in the mortar of the bricks or the mortar used for installing the bricks. Therefore, it is recommended to use Nano materials in the construction and maintenance of your facade bricks. (For information on brick installation methods, click here). However, if you have used interlocking bricks for your building, you need not worry about this issue. When purchasing the interlocking brick production machine, the manufacturers test the raw materials, and if they contain salt, the brick production is not approved.

• Keeping Weep Holes Clean

If you’re wondering what weep holes are, they are small openings that allow moisture to escape from the wall. These holes are often located at the bottom of the wall. If these openings become blocked and are not cleaned, moisture can get trapped in them and cause damage to the wall. Therefore, it is very important to regularly check that they are free and clear.

• Maintaining Interior Brick Walls

It is always important to remember that your building’s interior walls should always stay dry. Exterior walls are exposed to sunlight and therefore, if they become moist, they will dry out. However, interior walls can develop mold due to moisture.

In addition to the above, for maintaining facade bricks, you should be mindful of dust and crumbling mortar. Wipe off the dust from the walls with a cloth, and if you see any crumbling mortar, replace it with a new layer of mortar.

• Cleaning Tar from Facade Bricks

Another issue that can detract from the appearance of facade bricks is tar stains. To remove these stains, you can prepare a talc paste and apply it to the stains. In addition to talc, paraffin can also help you get rid of these stains.

Conclusion

Maintaining facade bricks not only prevents the high costs of repair and restoration but also helps preserve the value of your property. Therefore, if you ever decide to sell your property, its beautiful appearance will ensure that it sells for its true value.