Common Brick Veneer Problems

By James A. "Buck" Durham, P.E.  Structural Engineer - Durham and Wehrman Engineering,
Phone 256-353-0504.

Contrary to popular opinion, brick veneer is not waterproof. In fact, it can leak like a sieve, especially if the
individual brick units are laid in weak (poor quality mortar mix) and sloppy (porous) mortar joints. The
leakage occurs through cracks and separations and open gaps/holes in the mortar or through cracks in
the brick not necessarily through the clay-fired brick masonry units, themselves. Thus, the use of a
properly blended (high quality) mortar mix and full-head and bed (completely filled) mortar joints is
mandatory for water tight brick veneer construction.

In spite of using quality mortar and full head/bed joints, water leaks will eventually occur due to cracking in
the brick or mortar. In other words, very fine cracks will almost surely develop in any brick veneer due to a
variety of causes, including normal weathering. These cracks are typically too small for us to see so we're
often oblivious to their presence. Because of this cracking tendency, however, the major building codes
(throughout the country) all require the use of proper flashing details above windows/doors, and proper
water-proofing measures between the brick veneer and the wood-frame building structure. The latter is
best accomplished by covering the wood-frame building with a plastic vapor barrier then tucking the
bottom edge of this barrier back out of the brick -- through a single, horizontal, mortar joint which is usually
located somewhere between the adjacent ground surface and the main floor level. The vertical joints
between the brick, called head joints, directly above this tucked-in vapor barrier, are left open at some
close, uniform spacing, to allow the penetrating water to seep back outside the brick veneer wall. These
open joints are called "weep holes".

It appears to me that many of the home builders and most of the Building Code Enforcement inspectors in
our geographic area have forgotten about this important detail in brick veneer construction, because the
majority of homes I inspect do not have weep holes. In fact, I'm often stumped for a way to explain this
problem (or oversight) to a home buyer. It seems only fair to me that all home inspectors in our area should
come up with a standard explanation for the lack of weep holes in residential building construction,
because in all seriousness, there seems to be a "local building custom" to preclude the use of weep holes.
I would like to see the individual Building Inspection Departments issue statements regarding their position
on the use/preclusion of weep holes. However, I suspect that if forced to do this, the local Building
Inspection Departments will be mandating the use of weep holes because the Brick Institute of America
(now the Brick Industry Association) considered to be the preeminent authority on brick masonry
construction requires the use (and emphasizes the importance of) weep holes. Moreover, there is no
simple, inexpensive, cure or remedy to overcome missing weep holes. The brick must be torn off the home
and reconstructed, because a vapor barrier must be installed and tucked out through a low level joint.

In addition to the use of weep holes along the base or bottom of the wall, weep holes are often needed
above window openings. As water penetrates the brick veneer above the windows, it flows down the back
side of the brick or on the surface of the intermediate vapor barrier and eventually contacts the top of the
window frame. Although this can lead to rotten window frames and leaks inside the home, a more severe
problem is likely to develop in the brick veneer if the windows are not properly flashed. At each window
opening, the brick veneer directly above the opening is usually supported by a piece of structural steel
angle called a "lintel beam." The long term effects of water accumulation above the window frame can lead
to wetting and rusting of the steel lintel beam if the water cannot escape. As the steel lintel rusts, it
expands in volume. This volume expansion can create enough force to lift the overlying brick veneer,
creating unsightly cracks which typically stair-step up the walls from the upper corners of the window
opening. This phenomena is called "rust jacking". The resulting cracks allow more water leakage which in
turn can compound the rusting problem. Eventually, the steel lintel beam completely deteriorates and/or the
brick veneer cracks so badly that it becomes unstable. The only repair option is to cut out the brick veneer
above the window, replace the steel lintel, provide proper flashing details, and relay the brick using proper
weep holes.

For more information about weep holes and the use of proper flashing details above windows (at steel
lintels), you can contact the Brick Industry Association at (703) 620-0010 and request a copy of their
Technical Notes numbers 7, 7A - 7D & 7F; or visit their web site at www.bia.org and order on line.


A conscientious effort has been made by the authors to provide accurate information; however, neither the
authors nor Alabama Residential Inspection Services, LLC will assume any liability for its use. Readers are
advised to perform additional research, seek other professional advice, and to act on the information
provided, herein, very carefully.
Brick Veneer Problems
Google