Cracks in exterior brick walls...structural issue?

Question

I am looking at buying a foreclosure property.  The property looks good except I noticed some cracks in the exterior brick.  The cracks look like they have previously been filled.  The exterior walls look straight I am just wondering if this cracking is a sign of structural issues with the house and if I need to consult with a structural engineer or not.

Jeff Pancone · Answer

Nick,

It's almost impossible to determine from just these few photos but normally cracks in the mortar joints are signs of building shift which could be due to foundation movement or possible water intrusion. I do notice a couple of items here that would lead me more toward the water intrusion direction.

1) Brick appears to be wet in some of the areas in the center of the first photo

2) Foundation at the earth is covered by debris. This area should be at a minimum 4" below the last corse of brick which will reveal the concrete foundation or cmu block depending on the process used to build the basement walls.

Finally,

In the first photo I would also be suspicious of the fact that there appears to be newer windows, facia, drip edge, and possibly a newer roof. These are all signals that there may have been an issue with moisture.

I would be curious if you can tell if the interior walls have recently been paired as well?

I also suggest looking in the attic at the underside of the roof decking for signs of water staining as well as newer looking sections of decking. This would surely confirm the reasonable suspicion of water damage at some point.

Sorry so long winded but this is not a simple one answer type question...

Jeff

Account Closed · Answer

I would be more concerned with the dirt above the brick than the cracks.  The cracks do look like they are old and not new.

That being said, nobody can really tell from pictures how big of problem it is.

Larry K. · Answer

Looking at that picture again if there are weep holes they are underground which would minimize or negate their effectiveness.

Water, vapor, moisture, etc always gets into the cavity and that is ok. It is expected and brick veneer walls are designed that way. But, there needs to be a way for it to get out.

Be cautious about putting sealant on brick joints. Anyone can smear some schmutz on those cracks but it won't solve the problem. You will continue to have cracks. Probably in other locations too.

Larry K. · Answer

the brick is likely a veneer and is not structural.

The structure is likely wood studs with plywood sheathing then the brick is layed up vertically and held back with metal tie backs.

I surmise water got in there, froze and thawed and created the cracks.

Are there weep holes at the bottom?

Jim Adrian · Answer

I agree with @Larry K. on both his comments.  I don't see any brick expansion joints so mother nature was going to break the bricks where she wanted.  The bricks broke due to shear structural forces as they broke in a straight line.  I would look at the walls and see if they are bowing outward. If so, this is due to brick expansion.  I can't tell if there are weep holes in the bottom they should be about 24" o/c.  I would be surprised if this is a composite wall with brick mortared directly to the house sheathing.  This isn't standard with wood construction but could be found if cmu constructed but again not common for houses.   Bricks expand when they get wet because they are clay products.  Bricks look wet as @Jeff Pancone mentioned.  I don't see any flashing at the base of the wall which would be below the weep joints.  Water has no way of getting out from behind the brick.

As to fix this...

Get 3 quotes from a mason.  I would clean out the joints where the cracks are and place backer rod and sealant. I would choose a color darker then the brick to hide the joints. The cost for new brick install would be around $15-20 per sf but we are talking repair so it will be different.  Weep holes need to be added or exposed/cleaned out.  Might want to add weep holes higher up.

Account Closed · Answer

Thanks for the reply's guys.

So what needs to happen is the the weep holes should be exposed to allow for the water to get out?  And the bricks with the cracks should be replaced? And the cracked mortar removed and tuck pointed?

I don't have a clue how much brick layers charge, may need to make some calls.

Account Closed · Answer

That makes sense.  I cant recall if there were weep holes or not, cant really see any from the pics I took either.  Sounds like it would be a good idea to contact a bricklayer to see how much it would be to seal up any joints to prevent any future water intrusion.

Account Closed · Answer

Appreciate the reply's.  I have been in the property and there was no signs of water damage or recent repair to the walls.  This property also has a basement and there were no visible cracks in the basement walls that I noticed.  Also, the roof on this house is older and probably towards the end of its life.

Account Closed · Answer

here is a closer shot of a spot on the back of the house below the window sill.

Lee Scarlett · Answer

Great post Nick, I have a similar issue on a concrete structure. I need to follow your lead here and post some pictures.  Hope everything turns out beautiful for you!

Cracks in exterior brick walls...structural issue?

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