It’s now mid-summer 2015 and wow, did we have a wet wet spring. The wettest May in history and the wettest spring over all since 1957 in North Texas. We still have roads under water from over flowing lakes in North Texas. Water under the bridges are still up so high, you cannot take a boat under the bridges. Some lakes still cannot allow boats in from boat ramps because they are still under water. If you don’t have a boat stored at the lake, you’re out of luck.
Now, if you live here in North Texas, you already know all this. I am talking about it because it’s your home. It may be time to take a look at your home, retaining wall, outdoor kitchen, etc. Cracks that were on the home may have mysteriously disappeared, but they may have come back. All the moisture we had may have closed up those cracks, but after a bit of drying, they’re back. Sometimes the cracks will just grow larger, and these cracks will need to be repaired.
The brick on a home is not structural if you don’t repair the crack in the brick or mortar. Your home will not fall apart, but aside from your home's attractiveness decreasing, the crack will grow eventually cracking bricks which will work themselves loose and begin to move. This is especially bad for the home if this is happening around window, or an arch over the front porch.
The arches can be very dangerous as a collapse can happen, falling right down onto the front porch. The same is true for outdoor kitchens. Look over your stonework, brick planters, etc. as all this rain can and will affect the mortar. Take a look at your retaining walls as often these walls are affected in an adverse way. If these walls were not constructed correctly, all the rain and wet dirt behind them can stress them to the point of failure. Sometimes the mortar will start cracking because all of the pressure will make the wall move ever so slightly. If these cracks are not repaired, this can be structural and cause further damage.
See if you retaining wall is leaning due to so much pressure against it. The biggest signs of failure in your retaining wall are bulges. If your wall is bowing outward in the middle or at the bottom, this is a sign of eventual failure, liekly to come sooner than later.
At McFall Masonry and Construction, we can repair and/or rebuild any situation that may arise. Call us today.
