Maintenance Tips for Brick Homes

Brick is durable, beautiful, and often increases the resale value of homes. Under normal weather conditions and with the proper maintenance, bricks can last for a century or more. With the proper attention, brick is not difficult to maintain. However, they are vulnerable to moisture, and can degrade, or “spall,” over time, especially when subject to freezing/thawing cycles.

Inspection

Periodically check over your brick home. Check the interior walls for any sign of moisture or damage. When inspecting the exterior walls, it is important to look for:

Plant Growth – Cut plants, such as ivy, as close to the surface as possible. Do not pull.

Weep Holes – These small holes at the bottom of the brickwork allow moisture to drain out of the wall. Clean them out if they are plugged.

Efflorescence – A white, salty deposit on the brick surface is a sign of water penetration. You can clean this with a stiff brush, or a brush with water. If hard deposits have formed, a chemical cleaner is needed. Do not power wash.

Mortar – Mortar is less durable than brick, and can be maintained by “repointing.” To repoint, chip the old mortar out to a depth of ½-inch to ¾-inch. Then dampen the joints with water, and repack with new mortar. Wipe off the excess with a damp cloth. Repointing is normally recommended every 25 years, but every 50 years isn’t usually too long in mild climates.

Damaged Bricks – To replace a brick, remove the mortar around it to a depth of 4 inches. Dislodge the brick, and clean the cavity. Next, dampen the cavity with a touch of water, spread mortar onto the bottom of the cavity, and replace the brick. You can also temporarily repair the brick by carefully spreading a sandy cement mixture, “render,” over its surface.

Selecting Bricks and Mortar

When repairing a wall, choose bricks and mortar that are similar to the existing products. The age and location of the building can be used to determine the appropriate products. When selecting bricks and mortar, climate and function are also important. It is important to check the ASTM Standards, in particular ASTM C216, “Standard Specification for Selecting Brick,” and ASTM C270-04, “Standard Specification for Mortar for Unit Masonry,” for appropriate recommendations.

Use a Sealant?

Although there is a great deal of debate on the subject, some experts recommend using a chemical coating or sealant to prevent water from penetrating the brick. There are two main types of sealants:

Films – Films cover the surface of the brick, repelling water and usually preventing markings like graffiti from sticking. They tend to leave a glossy or darkened appearance. While they keep water out, they also keep water in, not allowing the brick to breathe. Only use when brickwork is dry. If moisture is trapped in the brick and a freeze/thaw cycle occurs, spalling will result.

Penetrants – Penetrants penetrate the surface and coat the brick pores, making them water repellent. Penetrants are translucent, and allow the brick to breathe. As a result, they would be beneficial in cold, moist climates, or on chimneys and parapets where they are exposed to harsh conditions.

Films and penetrants cost about 10 cents per square foot. Depending on the product, films need to be reapplied at least every five years, while sealants can last up to 15 years.

New Types of Masonry

Autoclaved Aerated Concrete A precast, non-organic, non-toxic and airtight lightweight building stone. It has good acoustic and thermal insulative properties.

Mortarless Brick Veneer Concrete bricks cast in special shapes that can be installed by anyone, and without the use of mortar.

Split-Face Concrete Block Architectural concrete masonry units that have a rough, stone-like texture that do not require a decorative finish.

Additional Sources of Information:

The Brick Industry Association provides a great deal of technical information and can provide you with technical assistance.

The Masonry Society is a professional, technical, and educational association dedicated to the advancement of knowledge on masonry.

Turning Your Home Green

In recent years we can see more and more people switching to buying green homes. This is either because they are getting concern about the environment or that the standards and techniques for building green houses have improved tremendously over the past years. In addition, sellers can also get a higher price for these green homes as they tend to save more on maintenance costs and utility bills. As such, if you are keen in purchasing a green home in Texas, how do you know that it is worth the price that you are paying for the house? This article will give you some tips on how you can get yourself a good deal. Check to see if the following things are found in the house:

1. A passive solar design

This is useful for natural heating and cooling of the house. Make sure there are not any skylights or greenhouse rooms in the house because that would mean too much heat gain in the building and will be very hot.

2. Attic spaces ventilation

Attic spaces can also accumulate heat, especially in hot climates, thereby causing the house to become very hot. On the other hand, moisture will remain in these attic spaces which are not ventilated, causing the wood to rot and smell.

3. Use of recycled or renewable materials

Since you are getting a green home, you should ensure that the materials used to build the house are not damaging to the environment. Some examples are using waste wood to build decks, use materials that are locally produced and can be renewed easily or recycled wood for the flooring of the house.

4. Use of safe materials

Products that are water based, non-toxic and biodegradable are more environmentally friendly so these should be used to build the house. Ensure that there are no materials that contain ozone depleting chemicals which are detrimental to the environment.

5. Site protection

The surroundings of the house is equally important, thus, ensure that the natural vegetation and animal habitats are protected from any unnecessary harm, especially if you need to do any additional constructions to the estate.

Remodeling in a Recession

It’s true that right now may not be the best time to sell your home. With real estate values dropping, many homeowners who want to sell won’t be able to sell their home for what they thought they may have been able to a few years ago.

However, if you aren’t trying to sell your home right now, and have been putting off a remodeling job this might just be the best time to tackle the project.  Why you ask?

Just as the cost of homes is dropping,  the cost of remodeling is dropping- including building materials and contractor’s fees. And while it may be difficult to think about spending money on your home when the values are falling- taking advantage of lower remodeling costs could be a great investment if you are not planning on selling your home anytime soon.

As disclosed in a study by HousingEconomics.com, the number of building permits in the United States has decreased in 2008 by 41% from 2007. This means less people are building, which can be good for a consumer trying to get competitive pricing from a contractor.

Not only can your contractor charge less for materials (because they are paying less) but they are also willing to charge less for labor in order to secure more work.

Even DIYers can save money on renovations right now just by saving on materials. For example, according to the National Association of  Home Builders (NAHB), framing lumber prices are the lowest they have been in 4 years.

The trick, of course, if you do have a home sale anywhere in your future, is to assess the current value of your home  and the value that your remodel will add to your home. When you sell,  you will only recoup some of the value in your resale so you want to make sure you are not investing too much more than what you may get in return. For a good idea of national remodeling costs and recouped costs, visit Remodeling magazine’s cost vs. recoup report. Note: If you do hire a contractor, make sure they have insurance to cover them in case they are injured on your property, otherwise, check your homeowners insurance policy to see if you have enough.

Carrie VanBrunt
http://HomeInsurance.com

Ranch House – Renovation Best

What is the common dream which motivates people to boost income? Undoubtedly, to live a comfortable life in a lavish house with an aura of opulence all around. So they aim at furnishing their nest in a manner that would set it apart from the rests. A ranch house could be the ultimate image make-over of a house. A ranch house is simplicity at its best. It is a one-storey building in a picturesque backdrop. This particular type of house serves two purposes at the same time: it adds up to the beauty of the house and looks after the utility aspect as well. But before setting up a house, one needs to know why he or she needs a ranch house and if it is necessary or not.

Before going deep into the details, the basic idea of ranch house and its renovation should be apparent enough. The mandatory components of a ranch house are several bedrooms, cooking area, washroom, a drawing area and rooms for guests. Cellar and conjoined parking area with an entrance into kitchen are other basic features of this kind. So, if you want to renovate a ranch house, fence the terrace, add a gallery or erect a partition to divide a big room and you are sorted.

Before venturing you must be focused about your demand from this remodeling. Its sole intention should not be only to beautify the house but also to utilize the area properly and enhancing it. A little planning beforehand helps a lot. You can start with tracking down the drawbacks of the prevailing house and correct it as soon as possible. A wooden deck or something unique can be added to complement the rest of the decoration. Even a new and extra structure can be added to the main one. But it must be in accordance with the design of the rest of the house and serve the purpose of spending free time.

Even if you are happy with the look, space enhancement could be a necessity. In that case an additional library or bedroom can be spaced out. It will change the exterior look too. It will be good change in favor of the restoration. If the planning does not go down well with the present interior due space scarcity, the cellar can be divided to increase the area.

The general use of cellar is that of a storehouse, launderette and hot water reservoir. If you surrounded it with walls with enough room spared, the extra space can be transformed into children’s recreation room or for relaxation of your entire family. So, the ranch house increases the value and utility of the house.

Harry Blackwell has been an avid design enthusiast for years. You can read his reviews on Curtains & Drapes, as well as tips on how to choose from high end as well as discount curtains…