Cracks In Brick - When You Don't Need Foundation Repair
One of the most popular siding materials in Oklahoma is brick. It stands up to the Oklahoma wind. It's low maintenance. It stays looking new for a lot longer than other siding options. The Third Little Pig really had it right in that popular story we all read as children.
However, if you have cracks in your brick siding, it can be an eyesore and may point to larger foundation issues. When the foundation of a home can no longer hold the weight of the house, the foundation will sink causing a chain reaction of problems on the exterior and interior walls, ceiling, and even the roof line. But sometimes, the only sign a homeowner can see that alerts them to a problem is cracking in their brick siding. The Vesta Team was just down in Ada, OK this week to help a homeowner with that same concern. Sometime in the last few years, a small crack began appearing in the brick mortar joint or that area between each of the bricks. As time went on, the crack got longer and looked like a stair step up the side of the house. The Homeowner decided she wanted to know what was going on. After we came out, the foundation of the home was in great shape.
So how come the bricks are cracked and beginning to separate? This happens when the brick on the side of the home becomes detached from the exterior of the home. Think of glue that holds macaroni art, after time, that glue gives out and the macaroni falls off the paper. Rather than have the home resided when the bricks are actually still in great shape, Vesta can offer brick ties that secure the brick back to the exterior of the home. This is a cost-effective, and lasting solution for homeowners.
Of course, you as a homeowner need to make sure to have the foundation checked before assuming the brick ties are all that is needed. Cracks in brick, as stated earlier, can also be a sign of foundation problems. However, it is good to know that maybe it is just the brick.