Tuckpointing isn’t the most common term when it comes to home repairs or home renovation, but it is important. Tuckpointing is the act of maintaining and possibly restoring mortar joints between bricks using a two-toned mortar technique. It is a project that can lengthen the life of your brick structures and increase the value of your home if kept up with properly!

Here are 5 reasons that you may need to consider having your house tuckpointed.

1. The Mortar is Failing
   If the mortar on your house is beginning to fail, then you need to have your house tuckpointed, and quickly. Mortar joints between bricks are legitimately what holds them together, and when the mortar begins to crumble and fall from the joints, the structure begins to weaken. Tuckpointing when this begins to happen is crucial, and can save you a lot of time and money down the line if identified early enough!
2. Your House Hasn’t Been Tuckpointed in a Decade (Or More!)
   Your mortar joints look fine, and your brick is strong, so you know the mortar isn’t failing. Well, even if that’s the case, it’s important that you have your brick walls or structures, like a chimney, checked and tuckpointed. Preventative maintenance in a home is highly important, and it’s recommended that you have the brick in your home tuckpointed every 10 to 15 years.
3. Bricks Are Beginning to Crack
   There’s a good chance that if you see bricks in your home beginning to crack, or spall, that you’ll need to look into having your home tuckpointed. When the mortar joints between your bricks begin to crack or deteriorate, it may not be entirely noticeable. A dead giveaway is when the bricks begin to crack or flake. Good mortar joints prevent too much moisture from entering a brick wall, while deteriorating joints don’t protect against this, and the resulting moisture entering the brick causes it to crack.
4. You’ve Found a Puddle in Your Basement
   Let’s talk a little bit more about moisture. Sure, noticing signs of wear and tear from moisture is a little bit easier with the brick outside, or any brick that’s exposed inside on the first floor. That’s not the only sign of moisture damage in your joints or bricks. Hidden deterioration may be happening, and water may be seeping in from the outside and dribbling into your basement. If you see this, you may need to get your brick tuckpointed.
5. Increasing the Value of Your Home
   Last but not least, tuckpointing is a good way to increase the value of your home if you’re looking to sell! It’s regular maintenance that needs to be done, and if done recently, can help increase the appraisal you receive when looking to put your house on the market.

Tuckpointing is an important part of home maintenance and restoration for any property that has brick walls or structure. Consider giving your home a look through and getting it tuckpointed today!