Repointing/Efflorescence

[Cannon1707]

Evening all,

I was wanted to try and get an opinion on some work I'm planning on getting done. For a few years we've had some light staining on some of the bricks at the back of our house. It never really bothered me until lately so after some research I think it's efflorescence. Looking further I can see some bricks to the top left of where this seems to start which need repointing. This seems to be caused by water running down from our garage roof into a poorly fitted gutter. Which in turn, is my thinking for why we have efflorescence.

So my plan is:

1) Get the garage roof fitted with proper lead flashing (it's poorly sealed and letting in water). That would wrap around a bit of the corner where there's been some damage to the mortar.
2) Get the gutter fixed and the appropriate length.
3) Get the affected bricks repointed.
4) Get the efflorescence cleaned?

I've got a contractor that's quoted for 1-3 so they can get done at the same time.

Does that sound sensible or am I totally barking up the wrong tree? If its not efflorescence then I've no idea what it could be.

Thanks for any input, pictures attached.

 

[noseall]

Evening all,

I was wanted to try and get an opinion on some work I'm planning on getting done. For a few years we've had some light staining on some of the bricks at the back of our house. It never really bothered me until lately so after some research I think it's efflorescence. Looking further I can see some bricks to the top left of where this seems to start which need repointing. This seems to be caused by water running down from our garage roof into a poorly fitted gutter. Which in turn, is my thinking for why we have efflorescence.

So my plan is:

1) Get the garage roof fitted with proper lead flashing (it's poorly sealed and letting in water). That would wrap around a bit of the corner where there's been some damage to the mortar.
2) Get the gutter fixed and the appropriate length.
3) Get the affected bricks repointed.
4) Get the efflorescence cleaned?

I've got a contractor that's quoted for 1-3 so they can get done at the same time.

Does that sound sensible or am I totally barking up the wrong tree? If its not efflorescence then I've no idea what it could be.

Thanks for any input, pictures attached.

Looks to me like the drip edge on the corrugated sheets is underperforming.

 

[Harry Bloomfield]

Does that sound sensible or am I totally barking up the wrong tree?

Sounds OK!

If its not efflorescence then I've no idea what it could be.

Like a white, powdery dust, which just brushes off? It's just salts, being washed out of the brickwork, stop the water going in, and the salts will stop being washed out.

 

[JohnD]

It will slowly weather away, once it is dry.

Don't try to wash it off, this will make it worse.

You can try a soft brush, but not one that will scratch the bricks,

I can't see the bad pointing you mention.

 

[Cannon1707]

Hi guys, thanks for the input. The substance on the bricks doesn't brush away, it's more stubborn which makes me think I'll need to get something to clean them.

The pointing is at the corner where the garage meets the house. Some of the mortar has been removed by the water running off the back of the garage roof.

 

[JohnD]

After you have fixed the leak, and it dries out, watch it and it will weather away.