Helitech

Types of cracked brick walls and what they mean to you

Cracks in bricks are not normal, and often require more than a little cosmetic masonry work.

Sometimes cracked brick points to rusting support beams. Other times, they point to a sinking foundation. These are not small fixes and should be only handled by professionals.

At Helitech Waterproofing & Foundation Repair, we specialize in saving foundations from complete failure. Sometimes this means helical piling to lift the settling foundation back up. Other times, it means treating oxide jacking—the result of corroded support beams pushing brick walls outward—at its source.

Whatever your foundation repair needs, we will treat the root of the problem, giving you peace of mind that your home is structurally sound.

Cracked brick walls point to underlying structural damage.

Fix the damage at its source. Call in the professionals.

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Causes, Repairs and Implications of Different Types of Cracked Brick

Type of Cracked Brick	Possible Cause and Repair
Horizontal crack in brick wall	If the cracked brick is at the top of the house near the steel beam, it could be due to oxide jacking—or the pressure that builds up as the steel rusts. This is common in brick walls because brick is porous, allowing moisture to pass through and corrode the steel. Left unattended, the corroded steel beam will force the bricks completely out of place. Horizontal cracks in brick walls closer lower in the wall or where the brick meets the concrete foundation indicates structural damage caused by settling. In this case, serious repair may be required.
Stair step cracks in brick house	Stair step cracks in brick houses are typically due to uneven settling of your foundation. Because this is a form of structural damage, it’s important that you call a Helitech professional early to repair the problem at its source.
Vertical cracking near wall seams (interior)	Vertical cracking on inside corners is often due to brick expansion. As bricks are exposed to environmental humidity, they grow in size, which can cause cracks at the seams of the walls. This type of crack usually means the bricklayers who built the wall did not provide enough space between the bricks to provide for thermal expansion.
Vertical cracking near wall seams (exterior)	Vertical cracking on outside corners—where steel beams—is usually a result of oxide jacking, or ”rust burst.” Left unattended, the corroded steel support beam will push the bricks outward until they eventually fall off the wall altogether.

Type of Cracked Brick

Possible Cause and Repair

Horizontal crack in brick wall

If the cracked brick is at the top of the house near the steel beam, it could be due to oxide jacking—or the pressure that builds up as the steel rusts. This is common in brick walls because brick is porous, allowing moisture to pass through and corrode the steel. Left unattended, the corroded steel beam will force the bricks completely out of place.

Horizontal cracks in brick walls closer lower in the wall or where the brick meets the concrete foundation indicates structural damage caused by settling. In this case, serious repair may be required.

Stair step cracks in brick house

Stair step cracks in brick houses are typically due to uneven settling of your foundation. Because this is a form of structural damage, it’s important that you call a Helitech professional early to repair the problem at its source.

Vertical cracking near wall seams (interior)

Vertical cracking on inside corners is often due to brick expansion. As bricks are exposed to environmental humidity, they grow in size, which can cause cracks at the seams of the walls. This type of crack usually means the bricklayers who built the wall did not provide enough space between the bricks to provide for thermal expansion.

Vertical cracking near wall seams (exterior)

Vertical cracking on outside corners—where steel beams—is usually a result of oxide jacking, or ”rust burst.” Left unattended, the corroded steel support beam will push the bricks outward until they eventually fall off the wall altogether.

Doug K.

Marine, IL

I want to let you know that the crew that did the work at my house the past two days were very refreshing. It was nice to see people wanting to work and learn. Alex P knew his job very well and took the time to explain the steps to me throughout the process. He also was an excellent instructor, he has great soft skills when teaching his coworkers. You have a good man working for you. The rest of the crew, Akil C, John T & Kim W, was very polite. They worked & followed Alex’s instructions and wanted to learn. The experience for me was a positive one.

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