Water entering a masonry substrate can cause your home to have interior leaks or exterior staining, spalling and efflorescence. Usually the masonry substrate can absorb the liquid water and release it again when it stops raining. However, the masonry could still have staining and efflorescence.

In modern home construction, masonry is used as a veneer. That is, homes and buildings that have brick, stone, stucco or some other masonry exterior are traditional wood or steel buildings on the inside. The veneer is just a cosmetic look. Therefore, improper building practices can cause leaks into the house or around windows and doors. At the more extreme circumstance, improper building practices can cause the structure of the building to become damaged due to water.

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Brick Home Basics

Brick homes built prior to the 1920s are true brick homes. That is, their exterior walls are 3-4 courses of brick thick and provide the load bearing structure of the house. Homes of more recent vintage are actually of wood construction and the brick is just a single layer facade. The brick is held away from the wood construction by a 1″ gap to prevent the porous brick from touching and damaging the wood structure.

Water Penetration into the Home

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