We've conditionally bought a 25 year old house with an all-brick exterior. During the inspection the inspector noted that in about a dozen locations above windows, doors, etc there are thin cracks (aprrox 0.5 to 1 mm) in the mortar that run diagonally. Typically these run for about a foot, although the longest (over the garage door) runs for about 3 ft. I couldn't get a straight answer from him about how concerned these should make me. I need to figure out (or figure out how to figure out) if this is typical of an all brick exterior, or if I should be concerned enough to withdraw my offer.
Answer:
This can only be answered on site because above windows and doors is a particular concern for lintels and the like inside the wall.
Courtesy of Ren Molnar, Construction Consultant at HomeFocus.com. I can also be reached at (613) 748-3003 and Home Focus – The Radio Show is broadcast live 8 to 10 A.M. (Ottawa, Ont. time) on Saturdays on www.cfra.com. In the interests of retaining credibility and in fairness to all, I cannot recommend prices, people nor companies for various projects.
