When Should You Hire a Mason?

Masons are skilled professionals trained to fix all sorts of problems, mostly relating to brick walls. How is it possible to determine whether your situation warrants hiring a mason? 

Problems with bricks are often caused by our ever-changing climate. Freeze and thaw cycles can have a long-term effect on outdoor siding materials. If the siding is even slightly chipped, water can start seeping in and if the temperatures drop, it can freeze, causing the brick and mortar to crack.

For this reason, it’s important to act fast before the problem gets any worse.

Types of masonry jobs

Mortar joint deterioration

• Depending on the scale of the problem, it may be necessary to redo large parts of the wall. If the joints are highly degraded, the new mortar will not function correctly and it will not hold up in the long run. It will have to be replaced completely.

Crumbling bricks

• Once again, water and humidity cause a lot of harm to outdoor siding.

• When bricks start to crumble, they have to be replaced to prevent water ingress.

• Bricks close to chimneys are more likely to start crumbling. The same goes for façades that are exposed to the whims of Mother Nature (strong rains, snow, wind, etc.).

Broken lintels and sills

• Lintels are located over windows and sills are found underneath said windows.

• Cracks may appear over time or, if the house’s structure is prone to certain weaknesses, possibly due to certain weather conditions.

• Steel, which is used for the frame in both the lintel and the sill, tends to develop rust, which can be harmful in the end. Concrete, for its part, can become porous and it may start to crumble. Contact a mason as soon as possible to avoid further deterioration of all of these elements.

Other work that requires the intervention of a professional

Other situations that require the intervention of a mason include the enlargement of an opening to insert a door or window. In the absence of sufficient space to do this, it will of course be necessary to create some!

In a second step, let's not forget to mention that a mason can help improve the sound and thermal insulation of your property, which is certainly important to ensure the comfort and tranquillity of all family members.

* No matter what the problem is, by hiring a mason, you’ll get a better diagnosis and they will be able to find the right solution to avoid extended damage (cracks, infiltrations, etc.) which could develop over time.