Condo Media - November 2021 - 44

The Region MAINE
Masonry Myths
Addressing the Reality
[by Jack Carr, P.E., RS, LEED-AP]
Since brick masonry exterior facades
are supposed to have useful lives of
100 years or more, a prevalent myth is
masonry facades are virtually maintenance
free, needing little discussion by
the condo board, and a rare cost item in
reserve fund studies. In reality, masonry
maintenance is discussed often with a
great deal of misinformation and misunderstanding
of the key issues.
INSPECTION AND MAINTENANCE
A condominium's brick façade is one of
its most important common elements.
As such, its condition should be wellknown.
This can only be accomplished
if it is inspected on an annual basis with
full documentation including written
comments, photographs, and sketches
as needed. This façade report can be
44 CONDOMEDIA November 2021
done by the building committee with
proper training and consistent reporting
protocols in place. The report
should comment on the presence of
structural and maintenance issues
but does not have to suggest methods
of repair.
Maintenance issues could include
the presence of plant or vine materials
on exterior walls; blocked weep holes;
surface efflorescence; damaged brick;
and mortar decay. Structural issues
could include the presence of mortar/
brick cracks >0.075 inches (2 mm) in
width in multiple brick units; stepped
or diagonal cracking; heavy rust on
window/door opening lintels; out of
plane wall movement; and negative
slopes on masonry sills. The scope of
the exterior wall inspection should
include the viewing of interior walls
where water infiltration or wall staining
has been reported.
STRUCTURE MATTERS
Equally important in a façade investigation
is understanding what
structure makes up the façade, as it
is a myth all brick buildings are the
same. Most of the old brick buildings
in major cities such as Portland or
Bangor use the exterior brick to support
the interior floor framing and are
thus called " bearing wall masonry. "
These heavy walls were designed to
prevent moisture from entering into
the building's interior spaces by the
brick absorbing water in its multilayers
(wythes) of brick and drying
out when the weather improved.
Over a hundred years ago, steel
framing was introduced, allowing the
building designer to hang the exterior
façade skin using steel anchors on
the perimeter of the building's steel
frame to produce more lightweight
and cost effective buildings. Today's
brick buildings use brick as a veneer
in which the brick is only the first line
of defense against water infiltration.

Condo Media - November 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Condo Media - November 2021

Contents
Condo Media - November 2021 - Cover1
Condo Media - November 2021 - Cover2
Condo Media - November 2021 - Contents
Condo Media - November 2021 - 2
Condo Media - November 2021 - 3
Condo Media - November 2021 - 4
Condo Media - November 2021 - 5
Condo Media - November 2021 - 6
Condo Media - November 2021 - 7
Condo Media - November 2021 - 8
Condo Media - November 2021 - 9
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Condo Media - November 2021 - 21
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Condo Media - November 2021 - Cover3
Condo Media - November 2021 - Cover4
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