Mortar Flaking Off

[Puddin' Man]

Mortar Flaking Off

Greetings,

I belong to a little brick bungalow in Missouri, built in '54, poured-concrete foundation. We got what the elec. utility is calling a "30-year ice storm" last week, .5 million houses w/o power. Mostly freezing rain, tree limbs etc falling like crazy.

On one corner of the house (facing East), there's lots of mortar flakes where the foundation meets the sidewalk.

Walked around the house, found most of the mortar to be reasonably solid (not flaking when I run a finger across it). Much, much better than on the flaky corner.

Over the years, I've done a tiny, tiny bit of tuckpointing, maybe 3 cartridges of a good compound in a standard caulk gun.

Should I expect even deterioration of mortar on the 4 exterior walls of my little house? Can anyone think of why it might be much worse on only one corner?

Thx, Puddin'

Pease pudding hot, Pease pudding cold, Pease pudding in the pot Nine days old ...

[Charles Schuler]

[Malcolm Hoar]

Any signs/sources of extra moisture on that corner?

Freezing water in the mortar can certainly result in flaking as described.

I'd be checking the gutters, downspouts, outside faucets, soil drainage etc. in that area.

[Puddin' Man]

Not that I could see. Storm blew mostly west to east. Flaky area faced east, was partially protected.

90% of it concentrated on about 1/8 of the wall area?

I'll take another look (when the wind chill falls below flogging zero). :-)

Thx, P

Pease pudding hot, Pease pudding cold, Pease pudding in the pot Nine days old ...

[Malcolm Hoar]

Sure. The fact that the flaking was so localized tends to suggest (to me) that you do have some localized moisture.

Assuming that mechanical damage is unlikely, it's hard to think what else might cause the situation you describe.

BTW, don't forget to consider what's going on in the inside of the house next to that corner. A leaking pipe inside the home is certainly a possibility.

[DanG]

roof leak no gutter rain soaked brick dryer or vent on the inside causing extreme sweating plumbing leak causing wet brick work flashing problem at a window or other penetration allowing water in the wall ___________________________ Keep the whole world singing. . . . DanG

[Puddin' Man]

Nope

Nope

Nope

Nope

No plumbing in that wall.

Less certain about this. Awning (over window) pulled away maybe .5". The gutter is above it, but there might be seepage between gutter and fascia.

I'll have to check whilst it rains.

Thx, P

Pease pudding hot, Pease pudding cold, Pease pudding in the pot Nine days old ...