How
May We Help You?
- Restoration
- Renovation
- Rehabbing
- Repairs
- Interior & Exterior Masonry, Tuckpointing, Concrete
- We work with
- Property Managers
- Condominium Associations
- Architects
- General Contractors
- Individuals
- Facilities People
SEALANTS/WATERPROOFING
If your rebuilding is made with porous brick(inadequate for our extreme Chicagoland weather conditions), has exterior sandblasted brick or is very old and therefore less resilient to the elements, then waterproofing may be the answer to protect your masonry.
We prefer to use a sealant which acts like "Gortex", it stops exterior water penetration, yet permits trapped water to escape.
Sometimes the appropriate solution is to provide an impermeable surface.
Waterproofing is maintenance which necessarily recurs because of our weather conditions.
Let AAA’s professionals assess your masonry’s needs and discuss with you a solution which meets your needs. We utilize a myriad of sealants depending on your requirements.
MASONRY CLEANING
AAA provides professional staff trained in masonry cleaning of brick, stone, concrete, and terra cotta. This includes removing surface debris such as dirt, carbon, mold, algae, paint, and graffiti. Our crews make a special effort to properly prepare the work site prior to cleaning to protect windows, doors, and landscaping as much as possible.
Chemical Cleaning
There are many suitable cleaning agents available depending on the particular problem. Once the correct solvent is selected, it is either rolled or sprayed on and then rinsed off. It may be necessary to repeat the application process. We use the minimal/weakest solutions available to adequately remove surface debris.
Sandblasting
Sandblasting is an inexpensive effective method to remove surface contaminants. Unfortunately, it is very messy. Worse yet it removes the bricks surface which then no longer has sufficient protection for water absorption. On exterior walls, this leads to premature deterioration and expensive restoration. Money saved by sandblasting (vs. chemical cleaning) are often exceeded by constant masonry maintenance in subsequent years.
However, there are circumstances when sandblasting is appropriate. Interior walls can be made to be aesthetically pleasing. Certain stubborn stains can be more completely removed by sandblasting.
Power Washing
Powerwashing includes using high pressure water spray, sometimes mixed with small amounts of sand. Since the sand is sprayed wet, it is less"dirty" and since less is used, the damage to your masonry is less than regular sandblasting.
Let our staff evaluate your current masonry’s condition and suggest the solution which meets your needs.
Parapet Restoration
The masonry or wall above the roofline is called the parapet. It is there for safety, aesthetics, and water drainage control.
If the cap on top of the parapet, either limestone or clay tile becomes cracked or the joints open up water can enter saturating the wall. The ensuing freeze/thaw cycle will cause the water to expand and crack the masonry. Poor of separated roof flashing or simply worn or defective masonry will also allow water to enter the wall and damage it.
If any of the above conditions exist and the bricks and mortar are sound and plumb and not loose simple tuckpointing may be a sufficient repair. If the bricks are adequate, but the mortar has sufficiently deteriorated then we might grind out the defective mortar at least 1/2" and perhaps 3/4" or even 1" or until we reach a solid be joint. Then, we would remove all loose mortar from the joint. Finally, we would tuckpoint the joint finishing it with a proper shape and a closely matching color to rest of the wall or elevation. In the most severe case, would remove the defective and /or deflected bricks and rebuild with sound masonry. Before, we put the cap on the top of the parapet, we would install a through-wall flashing to provide additional longevity.
Lintel Replacement
The masonry or wall above a window or door is held in place by either a concrete spandrel or a piece of metal. If metal is used, it is usually a lintel (a piece of angle iron), an I-beam or a C-channel. I-beams and C-channels have metal plates welded to them to support the load above it.
If the metal gets wet, it will rust or corrode. This is a chemical process, the effect of which is to grow up to ten times in thickness. This will cause the metal to bow and/or the masonry to crack under these severe pressures. Do you see a stepwise crack coming from the corners of the window? Is the brick/motar crumbling above the window? Is the brick above the window deflected or "rolling" – not plumb?
If any of the above conditions exist, the metal should be replaced with new metal painted with a rust-inhibitor. Also, flexible flashing will be inserted in the wall to help prevent water from reaching the metal. In addition, "weep" holes and "weeps" will be employed to remove the water from the wall.
So, where did this water come from? A leaky roof or parapet? A window or window sill above which needs to be caulked or replaced? Defective masonry above the lintel? AAA will assess the situation and advise you on preventative maintenance.
Chimney Restoration
Chimneys begin to deteriorate when water penetrates the masonry and then freezes (expands and cracks) and thaws over and over. Water enters the masonry due to
- Cracks in the masonry cap
- Defective flashing
- Deficient splash guards, gutters, downspouts
- Hairline cracks in mortar
- Wind or tornado
Once water has entered the cap, bricks or mortar severe damage can occur. If damage is minimal simple tuckpoint will provide sufficient repair. If the bricks are sound and not loose, but the mortar has deteriorated, we probably would grind out the defective mortar at least l/2" and perhaps 3/4" or even 1" or until we reach a solid bed joint. Then, we would remove all loose mortar from the joint and then tuckpoint the joint finishing it so that its shape and color match the existing masonry. In the most severe case, we would remove the bricks from the chimney as necessary, inspect the flue liners and rebuild the chimney in a sound and plumb condition matching the brick as closely as possible. We might even "borrow" brick from another less visible elevation in order to maintain the aesthetics and continuity of the more visible portion or section requiring the work.
SEALANTS/CAULKING
Depending on your needs, AAA will select one of many compounds used for caulking – polyurethane, silicone, etc.
Caulk is used at control joints, expansion joints, perimeter joints and areas where other materials, such as window frames, stoops, etc. meet masonry.
Caulk has a greater ability to expand, contract, and move with different materials so that it does not crack as readily as mortar and therefore provides greater protection. |
