Those Who Build the Buildings

Why Every Company With Brick Foundations Should Get Them Inspected Annually

12 December 2022

Ashley Hart

Brick has long been one of the most popular types of building material in both residential and commercial properties. Not only is it very easy to use, as it only needs to be set in place, but it is quite strong when implemented properly and it also looks very aesthetically pleasing to most people. However, when used in foundations and after a few decades, it can begin to show signs of struggle due to a few compounding factors that affect it more than other foundations. Here are a few reasons why you should have your commercial brick foundations inspected on an annual basis.

Cracks

While a minor crack here or there throughout your brick foundations may not be that devastating, if you notice quite a few cracks throughout your bricks, especially if these cracks span the face of several bricks, then you should be a bit more concerned. Bricks only generally crack when they have been weakened by moisture over many years, and the good news is that this can be fixed. Commercial cracked brick repair can address individual sections without having to replace your entire foundations, saving you a lot of time and money while still keeping most of your bricks intact.

Swelling 

Instead of cracking, sometimes bricks will expand due to the soaking up of water, and this will be quite obvious to the naked eye. If the brick itself is jutting out from its original resting place, or if it is pushing the bricks above it out of position, then you should call for commercial brick repair. Swelling bricks will, in turn, often cause cracks above and below them and they need to be removed and replaced where possible. Getting ahead of this issue is the best move for you and your business to stay in operation longer, and reduce the downtime required for repairs.

Mortar Cracking

Sometimes it won't be the bricks themselves cracking, but the mortar that is there to keep them together. Mortar often gets affected by the moisture in the damp air of your basement or crawl space and can start to crumble and fall off. This is a much easier fix than anything to do with your bricks because mortar can simply be reapplied in its place if there are no other compounding issues that are also present. Often mortar is replaced while a commercial cracked brick repair contractor is also working on other repairs. 

For more information on commercial cracked brick foundation repair, contact a professional near you.

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