Brick is chipping/flaking on this home

[Scott Patterson]

The brick on this home is chipping or flaking along the edges. It is all around the home. The chip spots are clean with no mortar so it has happened after it was put on the home.

Anyone have any ideas what has caused this?? Need some opinions ASAP.

Thanks!!

[Rick Hurst]

Scott,

Maybe it was caused with the brick masons chisel but only chipped away after a period of time.

Got me?

rick

[Michael Thomas]

My guess is that the chipping (I'd call it spalling or flaking, as I think of "chipping" as the result of mechanical damage) is the result of a manufacturing defect that's causing excessive water penetration (the dark areas in the center of the brick) or even that this is one of the brick types not intended (formulated and fired) for exterior use (there re such). Though in either case I don't know why there is little if any spalling at the face. Another possibility is that the mortar is too "hard" for the brick, though the picture does not look typical of the damage that results.

If I saw that at an inspection, and had to write it NOW, I would just call for evaluation by one of the experienced masonry restoration contractors in my area.

If I needed to know, and had some time, the two guys I would ask would be:

Bill Kibble info@tcinspect.com
Kurt Mitenbuler kurt@chicagohomeprimer.com

Both post over at TJI - Kurt at least has a rather ferocious posting style, but has never been less that courteous and helpful when I have e-mailed or called him with a question, and he is very knowledgeable, at least about masonry materials and techniques here in Chicago.

[Scott Patterson]

Thanks! I have this posted on TIJ as well. Several opinions but it is looking like defective brick.

[brian schmitt]

kids with hammers?how far up?

[Jerry Peck]

May have used NW grade of brick instead of MW or SW grade brick.

[Scott Patterson]

kids with hammers?how far up?
No kids, home is up a gated drive, fenced lot and the owners have not children.

[Raymond Wand]

Looks like the bricks were mishandled either thrown in a heap or damaged skid broke apart spilling the bricks.

Cheers,

[Scott Patterson]

May have used NW grade of brick instead of MW or SW grade brick.

That is possible. I'm leaning toward the idea that the finish coat was flash fired at too high of a heat and that made it brittle. Allowed water to seep in and the spalling occurred. Any, I told my clients that they needed to have the builder contact the brick manufacturer so as they have defective brick on the home.

[Scott Patterson]

Looks like the bricks were mishandled either thrown in a heap or damaged skid broke apart spilling the bricks.

Cheers,

Another good idea, but! The owners said that the chips/flaking started to show up around mid November. We had some real hard freezes around then. You could walk around the home and see the chips on the ground.

[Jerry Peck]

That is possible. I'm leaning toward the idea that the finish coat was flash fired at too high of a heat and that made it brittle. Allowed water to seep in and the spalling occurred.

Scott,

Firing to hot would reduce the moisture absorption, reducing the possibility of that happening.

Using a lower grade, especially a grade too low, will allow moisture to be absorbed and cause what you are describing.

It is also possible that they used MW grade brick and that your severe winter weather really needed SW grade brick.

SW grade is for "severe weathering".

MW grade is for "moderate weathering".

NW grade is for "negligible weathering".

MW grade might work under normal winter weather conditions in your areas, but when those conditions turn severe enough for long enough, you might have those types of failures - caused by the brick not being a grade to sustain those weathering conditions.

How old is the house, when this did start happening, and has you winter been more severe than past winters?