Maintenance of Exterior Walls

Chapter-3
Maintenance
of
Exterior Walls
COMPILED BY : INSTRUCTOR TARIKU DESSU(M.SC.) 1
A building defect can be defined as a material,
component or finish which does not meet its accepted
performance criterion.
The primary source and causes of deterioration and decay

in structures and buildings can be listed as follows:
1.Human 7.Faulty Design

2.Chemical 8. Faulty Construction
3. Atmospheric elts 9. Faulty Materials
4.Structural 10. Faulty System
5. Moisture 11. Faulty Systems
6.Fire 12. Cleaning
13. Vandalism/damage
or harm or sabotage/ etc.
 Walls,
Walls consists of bricks, concrete blocks, or any masonry
when it is kept naked, plaster and paint, metal frames, doors,
window, railings and corridors. The biggest threats of the
exteriors are rain, wind, sun, etc.
 In exterior brick, concrete block, or any masonry
walls, the basic concerns are cracking and water
intrusion causing numerous defects on walls.
 Cracks: Seen especially in brick, concrete blocks, or any

masonry walls are structural cracks. This type of crack forms
in straight vertical or horizontal lines, or in stepped diagonal
lines. This crack width will often vary with the seasons.

 Causes:
 Differential movement of
foundations/Settlement /
 Other structural problems
 Moisture expansion or
 Drying shrinkage

FIGURE 2: WALL CRACKS- POOR DETAILING- DIAGONAL CRACKS-
EXPANSION AND SHRINKAGE
1) Brick Masonry
 Inspect brick masonry annually and repair as required, as follows:
WHAT TO
LOOK FOR/ REMEDIAL ACTIONS/Measures:
Common Signs:
1) Cracked, loose,
• Cracked, loose, or spalled bricks must be replaced.
or spalled
bricks • The mortar that surrounds the affected units must be cut out
carefully to avoid damaging adjacent brickwork.
• For ease of removal, the brick to be removed can be broken.
Once the units are removed, all of the surrounding mortar
should be carefully chiseled out, and all dust and debris
should be swept out with a brush.
• The brick surfaces in the wall should be dampened before
new units are placed, but the masonry should absorb all
surface moisture to ensure a good bond.
WHAT TO
LOOK FOR/ REMEDIAL ACTIONS/Measures:
Common Signs:
• The appropriate surfaces of the surrounding brickwork

and the replacement brick should be buttered with
mortar.
• The replacement brick should be centered in the
opening and pressed into position. The excess mortar
should be removed with a trowel.
• Pointing around the replacement brick will help to
ensure full head and bed joints.
• When the mortar becomes “thumbprint” hard, the joints
should be tooled to match the original profile.

WHAT TO LOOK
FOR/ Common REMEDIAL ACTIONS/Measures:
Signs:
2) Bulging bricks or
wall out-of-plumb • Typically, this results from missing or failed brick ties
and anchors. Retrofit ties/anchors must be installed.
• Installation of most retrofit anchors involves drilling
small holes in the masonry, usually in a mortar joint,
through which the anchors are attached to the substrate.
• Generally, mechanical expansion, helical screws, grout-
or epoxy-adhesive systems are used. Because the
installation methods and limitations of each product are
unique, consultation with the manufacturer is essential to
assure proper application, detailing, installation,
inspection, and performance.
 Efflorescence: Migration of alkaline
from cement based materials and
crystallization on the surface as salts.

2) Concrete Masonry
Inspect concrete masonry unit (CMU) walls annually and repair as
required, as follows:
What To
Look For/
Common REMEDIAL ACTIONS/Measures:
Signs:
1) Cracked
• Cracked or loose units must be replaced.
or loose
units • The mortar that surrounds the affected units must be cut out carefully to
avoid damaging adjacent brickwork. For ease of removal, the units to
be removed can be broken. Once the units are removed, all of the
surrounding mortar should be carefully chiseled out, and all dust and
debris should be swept out with a brush.
• If the units are located in the exterior Wythe of a drainage wall (which is the
typical case), care must be exercised to prevent debris from falling into the air
space, which could block weeps and interfere with moisture drainage .

WHAT TO
LOOK FOR/
Common REMEDIAL ACTIONS/Measures:
Signs:
1) Cracked or
• The CMU surfaces in the wall should be dampened before new units
loose units
are placed, but the masonry should absorb all surface moisture to
ensure a good bond.
• The appropriate surfaces of the surrounding CMU and the
replacement unit should be buttered with mortar.
• The replacement unit should be centered in the opening and pressed
into position. The excess mortar should be removed with a trowel.
Pointing around the replacement unit will help to ensure full head
and bed joints. When the mortar becomes “thumbprint” hard, the
joints should be tooled to match the original profile.

Note: In general, dampness for exterior brick, concrete block, or any
masonry walls can erode the mortar, causing the mortar to disintegrate.
The most common signs are surface stains, lifted surface finishes,
efflorescence and fretting and algae and fungi growth.
Causes:
• Disrupted damp-proof course; leakage of water pipes, roofs, gutters and
down-spout pipes; mildew of mold growing on walls; bushes and shrubs
touching the building.
Remedial measures:
 Dampness caused by deteriorated damp-proof course can be repaired by
local insertion of new damp-proof course followed by plastering with
appropriate system.
 Remove/ clean the mildew of mold by high pressure water jetting
 Remove plant growing on the walls and bushes and shrubs touching the
building to drain off rainwater quickly from the wall.
 For metal frames, doors, windows and railings, the protective paint coating
should be in good conditions. Wood doors, windows, railings and posts
should be sanded and painted. Door and window hinges should be oiled at
least annually.
3) Curtain Walls and Storefronts
 Inspect Curtain Walls and Storefronts annually
 The key elements of a curtain wall are the vertical steel
or aluminum
mullions that hold it together and the horizontal rails or
mullions that are supported by the vertical members.
Together, they make up the framing that support the infill
panels, either vision lights (glass or plastic) and spandrel
panels (solid panels of almost any material, including
opaque glass).
What To
Look For/ REMEDIAL ACTIONS/Measures:
Common
Signs:
1) Buckling
• This is usually beyond the scope of routine maintenance and
or bending
of mullions may require the services of an experienced curtain wall
contractor for repair.
2) Vertical • This is usually beyond the scope of routine maintenance and
mullions out may require the services of an experienced curtain wall
of plumb contractor for repair.
3) Loose or • Re-align mullions if undamaged and install new fasteners. If

damaged mullion is too damaged for continued use, replace damaged
mullions section(s) with new. If necessary, utilized the services of an
experienced curtain wall contractor.

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Chapter-3

The primary source and causes of deterioration and decay

1.Human 7.Faulty Design

 Cracks: Seen especially in brick, concrete blocks, or any

COMPILED BY : INSTRUCTOR TARIKU DESSU(M.SC.) 3

COMPILED BY : INSTRUCTOR TARIKU DESSU(M.SC.) 4

• The appropriate surfaces of the surrounding brickwork

COMPILED BY : INSTRUCTOR TARIKU DESSU(M.SC.) 7

COMPILED BY : INSTRUCTOR TARIKU DESSU(M.SC.) 14

COMPILED BY : INSTRUCTOR TARIKU DESSU(M.SC.) 17

COMPILED BY : INSTRUCTOR TARIKU DESSU(M.SC.) 18

3) Loose or • Re-align mullions if undamaged and install new fasteners. If

COMPILED BY : INSTRUCTOR TARIKU DESSU(M.SC.) 30

COMPILED BY : INSTRUCTOR TARIKU DESSU(M.SC.) 38

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