After a harsh winter in Toronto, spring is the season which is appropriate for masonry repairs. It is the time when the weather finally gears up to warm up again. Winter in Toronto is very cruel as it damages your building façade with freeze-thaw cycle, building stones with de-icers, cement and masonry. It is often called the season of masonry damage. Timely attention to such issues will help you save hundreds of dollars that you might have to spend in case of a delay. According to masonry service experts it is good to perform a visual inspection of your building envelope immediately after winter.
Here are the areas that need attention
1. Spalling brick repair
After a freeze filled winter, spalling bricks are commonly seen in the spring season. Masonry structures contain moisture that get freezed during winter which builds pressure that gradually breaks off the entire bricks. There might be other potential causes of spalling bricks and that is why you need to find out the real cause of it before trying to fix it. You need to determine if a leak is allowing water inside, or if the standing ground water is frequently soaking brick. After identifying the root cause of the issue you can then go for the repairing process which is called tuckpointing.
2. Chimney repair
A chimney provides a continuous service during winter as you spend most of the time in front of the fireplace. So it gradually loses its work efficiency. There are many people in Toronto who prefer to repair their chimneys during spring. The repairing procedure includes the replacement of the chimney crown or the chimney cap or simply removal or replacement of the damaged bricks and mortar on the chimney structure. When it comes to chimney repairs in Toronto, experts often recommend performing the repair work in the fall just before winter as during winter a chimney bears a huge pressure.
Related Post: Why Masonry Services is good for Your Chimney Repair in Toronto?
3. Adding sealant to masonry repair
Winters are rainy in Toronto and it often seems to be tempting to apply sealants to your masonry structure. Some sealants are undoubtedly beneficial but non breathable sealants are certainly not recommended. Bricks and other types of porous masonry frequently come in touch with moisture which causes damage when trapped in it. Apart from natural causes or poor drainage system, moisture can also get trapped inside due non breathable sealant application.
4. Masonry repairs of historical buildings
Historical buildings are delicate and need proper attention during repair work. This is the reason why spring is considered to be the best season for repairing such buildings as winter brings multiple risks with it and a simple mistake can harm the value of a historical property.
5. Mortar repair
Mortars usually give up before bricks during winter. If the repair work is not started on time, whatever the mortar holds up will slowly start showing the signs of damage. Mortar is comparatively cheaper than bricks and it is also easy to fix.
A long winter tends to damage mortar in many ways. When you see the signs of mortar damage like discoloration or feels crumbly to touch, you must consider repairing it immediately before the entire structure shows the signs of damage.
So when you plan to gear up for your masonry repair work, hire a masonry contractor who has expertise in his field.
