Open areas

[David Macy]

I see this quite often and would like to inquire on the best recommendation and to properly report.

Home has brick veneer and metal/aluminum siding.

Open gap between walls/siding. This one appears to be from deteriorated, missing mortar and the top brick spalled and was poorly patched.

What is the proper way to seal between sections of siding?

How would you report on the attached photo?

Was the spalled, patched brick from moisture wicking up due to capilary action or impact damage?
If the opening was sealed with mortar would the air space still function properly for drying the bricks?
Should the metal siding completely cover the gap?
Would a flexible, breathable caulk or faom be best to seal thye opening to keep, insects, vermin from entering?

[Dale Duffy]

Hi Dave

I have never come across brick and aluminum siding butted together but it looks like an amateur did the installation.

Not knowing how far the brick is under the mulch the brick should be installed on a ledge, concrete...did you root around to see how deep the brick went?...if it's close to grade I would recommend they grade the mulch so its not in contact with the brick....the brick NEEDS to DRAIN, there should be L-Flashing at the Ledge, upward at the base of the wall.

It shouldn't be covered with anything at the base of the wall....and it shouldn't allow moisture to wick upward.

That corner, isn't much that can be done with it not except caulk it with a quality exterior grade NP1 or equivalent...mortar will not seal the corner, separation will continually occur.

[Bill Warner]

Yup,  that corner trim should have extended all the way down.  As it is, water is running off that corner onto the masonry and what you are seeing is probably freeze/thaw damage which will occur again in short time.

Very amateur siding job you have there for sure.

Was the masonry stable? Kinda looks like it's leaning out by the picture.

[David Macy]

Yup,  that corner trim should have extended all the way down.  As it is, water is running off that corner onto the masonry and what you are seeing is probably freeze/thaw damage which will occur again in short time.

Very amateur siding job you have there for sure.

Was the masonry stable? Kinda looks like it's leaning out by the picture.

I thought the same thing about the stability, I was excerting pressure on the veneer and there was no deflection.

[Jim McKee]

as the others have said amateur installation...nothing but an ugly caulk job now ...hopefully those guys were a little better on their second job.....

[David A. Andersen]

I'll also bet that the flashing between the top of the brick ledge and the Alu siding is wrong and likely not even there.

That job looks like an afterthought!

[Frank Carey]

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