# Brick veneer is 4 rows below grade- redo or leave?



## TarheelTerp (Jan 6, 2009)

cbrc5eric said:


> I found 2 walls my brick veneer house has 4 rows or brick buried under soil.


Mine has more than that.



> Should I bother to redo it or just leave it?


re-do what?


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## joecaption (Nov 30, 2011)

Anything below grade should have been sealed with foundation sealer.


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## creeper (Mar 11, 2011)

I have very limited knowledge in this area, but I was always told not to bury brick because water will get in behind and pop the face off. I think this may be the op's concern

And I'm not seeing any drainage holes in the pics


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

If the mortar isn't showing signs of any deterioration then leave well enough alone for now. You will never match the color of the mortar so if it ain't broke don't fix it. There are mortars suitable for use underground, maybe that's what was used in your case.

At any rate...I don't see any deterioration but it may just be my lying eyes.


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## jomama45 (Nov 13, 2008)

I agree with Bud on this just leave well-enough-alone. Unless, of course, you have some kind of water problem in the basement. But, it looks like the brick is holding up just fine for it's age.


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## Maintenance 6 (Feb 26, 2008)

Be sure there are no drainage weeps through the brick that are buried below grade. If so, you run the risk of water getting back into the wall cavity.


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## creeper (Mar 11, 2011)

Maintenance 6 said:


> Be sure there are no drainage weeps through the brick that are buried below grade. If so, you run the risk of water getting back into the wall cavity.


Correct me if I'm wrong cuz, I'm learning this as well, but isn't the brick of a porous nature, and therefore the walls are always taking on a bit of rain water? So the drainage weeps let the water out. And if it can't drain and then freezes thats when the face pops off?


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## concretemasonry (Oct 10, 2006)

creeper -

Not all brick are "porous". So are just too dense and tight.

Deterioration from freezing requires repeated cycles of freezing and thawing while saturated, which is not likely in a material that has lateral heat transmission and is buried in soil around a foundation, especially in the OP's location of MD. - Flat surfaces are more critical.

Dick


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## Bud Cline (Mar 12, 2006)

> And if it can't drain and then freezes thats when the face pops off?


No apparent evidence of this in the photos.


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## creeper (Mar 11, 2011)

OK thanks Dick and sorry to hijack, but what if the bottom or two course of bricks is not currently buried and has weep holes. Would it be ok to cover those with say, limestone screenings and a patio slab? ( I'm euchered for proper drainage and this would be the only way to achieve sufficient slope)


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## cbrc5eric (Mar 15, 2010)

Thanks for the advice everyone, guess I can leave it. My chimney did deteriorate from lots of freeze/thaw and had to be rebuilt. I disassembled that thing with my bare hands :lol: Since my house has zero insulation in the walls and basement, I'm sure the heat passes right through in the winter and keeps anything from freezing too. Guess I should rethink insulating the basement walls :lol: The wall brick all appear to be quite solid and hopefully it stays like that for a while :-D


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