waterproof - Ask The Chimney Sweep

Repairs for brick or stone paving can be extremely pricey. Brick walkways or stone patios may have been installed poorly by bricklayers who were not concerned with the quality of the work they did at the home. Some homeowners are faced with problems caused by very large mortar joints, made as such to make room for the unevenly sized bricks used for the construction job. These joints are extremely prone to water damage, and moss and mold growth. If you are reading this particular blog post, I would venture to say that you are experiencing problems with your brick pavement. Whether your mortar joints are too big or the bricks are simply installed improperly, a simple repair for brick pavement is not enough. Generally speaking, even after the "problem" bricks are repaired, the poor installation is still widespread throughout and will continue to cause problems. Unfortunately, more extensive repairs are often needed once the problem becomes visible. To prevent the water damage in the first place, the best thing for brick pavement is to waterproof regularly with ChimneySaver! On vertical surfaces it has a 10 year lifespan, but you will want to do it every 3-4 years on horizontal brick pavement surfaces. Without a high quality water repellent, water can seep down in between mortar joints, pool, and freeze underneath the brick themselves. This freeze thaw pattern is extremely damaging to your brick pavement, so your best bet at prolonging the life of your pavement is to waterproof frequently and repair any loose or broken bricks or mortar joints as soon as you see the damage begin.