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BEFORE
AFTER
Getting to the Point of Repointing
T
here’s no shortage when it comes to contractors looking to
upgrade features inside your home, or to create luxury additions
like decks or patios. But who do you call when the actual structure
of your home needs attention? Who do you turn to when the
bricks themselves have issues? That’s when you call Michener Masonry
for help.
“What I do is very specific: repointing work, cracked joints, chimneys.
With a house, it’s something people don’t notice until it’s too late
because they think that bricks and brickwork last forever, and while it’s
the most durable part of your home, your brickwork can and will fail
eventually,” says Jim Michener, owner. “Once you see cracks, you need
to take care of them before they get worse, and they will get worse.”
One of the most common things people will notice in their homes
are cracks that radiate out from the corners of windows and doors.
Those appear because of worn-out angle irons—steel bars that bridge
the tops of windows and doors to carry the weight of the bricks
above them. Over time, those angle irons can rust, swell and crack the
surrounding brickwork.
Another area of concern common to homes in Western Pennsylvania
is weak mortar. Constant abuse from the elements can erode mortar
into deep spaces between bricks, or leave it crumbling at the slightest
touch. These mortar joints need to be repointed, a process where the
old mortar is chiseled or ground-out and replaced with fresh mortar
that will keep your home safe from the elements. Around areas of the
home that are hard to inspect, such as chimneys, homeowners may not
even know there’s a problem until a brick falls or water starts showing
up in the home.
If these areas aren’t taken care of, they can and will let moisture and
water leak into your home and also heat to escape. The longer they’re
left untreated, the worse the damage can be.
Fortunately, Michener Masonry has been helping homeowners solve
these problems for more than 25 years. An experienced brickmason
who will work anywhere in metropolitan Pittsburgh, Michener offers
homeowners results without having to empty their wallets. And while
many homeowners worry about brickwork making patchy areas on
their homes, Michener Masonry’s abundant experience means that
mortar and brick will be matched as closely as possible – leaving a
finished job that looks as natural as the day the house was built.
“I do most of the work myself with a small crew behind me,” says
Michener. “We work with homeowners to do what’s necessary and
what fits their budgets and schedules. Springtime is a good time for
people to do a walk around their homes to see if they find any cracks
or areas that need attention. The truth is, you have to maintain your
brickwork just like anything else.”
For more information on Michener Masonry, call Jim Michener at
412.853.2277 and schedule a free estimate for your home today.
UPPER ST. CLAIR
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SPRING 2018
43