Leaking Brick‐Clad Walls: Causes, Prevention, and Repair

Water leakage through brick‐clad walls is one of the most difficult masonry problems to correct. These leaks can cause severe damage to underlying wall elements and to interior finishes as well as disrupt building occupants. Excessive water entry into the wall usually results from poor brick workmanship. Subsequent water penetration into interior spaces may result from errors in design and/or construction of the wall‐drainage system. In most cases, leaks can easily be avoided if the designer properly details the flashing‐and‐weep system and carefully monitors construction for quality workmanship and conformance with design. The two most common types of exterior brick‐clad walls in existence today are the barrier and the cavity walls. Barrier walls block water from passing completely through the wall, thus preventing leakage into the building's interior. Cavity walls provide a continuous void within the wall that serves as a channel to guide water out of the wall before it reaches the interior. Both barrier and cavity walls require good‐quality brick workmanship and a proper flashing‐and‐weep system to function effectively.