How various maintenance & repairing works are undertaken for Brick Masonry
If periodic inspections and maintenance are undertaken, the longevity of brick masonry construction will be increased significantly. In this construction article, one will get detail information on the advantages and elements of recommended inspection programs as well as particular maintenance practices which involve substitution of sealant joints, grouting of mortar joint faces, repointing of mortar joints, elimination of plant growth, prevention of moisture penetration, repair of weeps, substitution of brick, setting up of a damp proof course, setting up of flashing in existing walls and substitution of wall ties.
Usually it is found that when brickwork is perfectly designed, detailed and built, it becomes long lasting and needs less maintenance. On the other hand, various other components, which are parts and parcels of the brickwork construction like caps, copings, sills, lintels and sealant joints should undergo periodic inspection and repair.
If the maintenance work is not done properly for these components, other constituents in the wall may be affected. Maintenance of buildings is divided into two general categories: 1) general inspection for recognizing probable issues with the performance of exterior walls; and 2) specific maintenance to rectify the prospective issues.
GENERAL INSPECTION:
Before starting the inspection and maintenance program, clear conceptions are necessary concerning the materials utilized in a building and how they function over a specific time period. In the following table, detail information is given for different building materials and the estimated time prior to start repairing work. These times are dependent on the brick work in vertical applications, construct of perfect materials and workmanship and exposure to normal weathering conditions. Repair of Sills, parapets, chimneys and copings is necessary in shorter time period as they encounter more severe exposures.
Periodic inspections should have been undertaken to establish the condition of the different materials which are found in a building. These inspections should be undertaken monthly, yearly, every two years, or any suitable time period. ?Seasonal? inspection periods are suggested to analyze & observe the behavior of building materials in diverse weather conditions. Inspection records, along with conditions and comments, should have been maintained properly to make out changes in materials, probable issues and essential repairing work.
In a recommended checklist of conditions is provided that may need maintenance or repair. It may set a guideline that should be followed throughout inspections. Conditions required for maintenance or repair actions comprise of efflorescence, spalling, weakening mortar joints, interior moisture damage and mold. As soon as one or more of these conditions are detected, the source of the issue is defined and proper solution is provided to rectify both the cause and noticeable effect of the condition.
Table 3 highlights different conditions which impact brickwork and their most feasible sources. The items inspected in the table characterize each source to be treated when such conditions are found in brick masonry.
SPECIFIC MAINTENANCE: Once the examination is completed for all of the probable contributors, the genuine cause(s) of distress conditions are defined through the process of elimination. Often the source will be patently obvious as with degenerated and missing materials; however, in various situations like imperfect flashing or differential movement, the source may be hidden and detected only via building diagnostics. In any case, it is necessary to first visually examine the self-evident source prior to accomplish a more comprehensive analysis because it may save time and money in determining the cause. Such a method should always be undertaken if the condition entails water penetration. As soon as the source is determined, measures are chosen to successfully rectify the moisture penetration source and its impacts on the brick work.
