Rain water leaking through single brick wall into garage

[Steve2]

Hi there,
I need HELP and advice please.
We have just purchased a 20 year brick veneer home on concrete slab.
It is two storey with a single unlined brick wall on SW side with ground floor into garages. After days of heavy rain on this wall this week, the whole brick wall leaked through to the inside garage and concrete floor.
Don't know what has happened on inside of top floor, except to say there are no wet patches on inner walls or ceilings.
It seems this is not the first time as there are a few rust marks on concrete floor where things were stored previously. But to the eye and when inspected prior to purchase and dry weather, no problems.
How do we waterproof these bricks which were stated as clay bricks spec. A21 back in 1991??

[Oldsaltoz]

The leak is most likley because the original protective coating on the bricks has failed.

It only needs to be re sprayed just as is done on any new brick home, you can DIY with a garden spray that has a long wand.

Most of the brick sealer's are silicon based and simple to apply. It goes on white and soaks into the brick leaving everything looking as it was before spraying.

Good luck.

[Steve2]

Many thanks for the silicon based information.......There is no way I could spray to the top of the building, so I guess I have to look for a tradesman to do so.
Who would you recommend as best to do this job, from a webpage selling the product or a builder or who?
I am still amazed at how much money one has to spend AFTER one buys a fully inspected and OK'd home, still shuddering and then this......at last this afternoon there has been a small break in the weather, so all roller doors open trying to dry the place out.
I didn't know new brick homes were coated when built......our's wasn't in 1985.
Another question, just how long are these treatments supposed to work for?
AND as I know the name of the original builder of the place, should I ring him and see if he's had this complaint of this home since he built it?

[Oldsaltoz]

In all my years in the building game I can only recall one other brick leak and the house was about 15 years old and it had been a very wet season.

It takes only 30 or so minutes to seal a single storey building so you may well have missed it.

If you are not able to do this yourself then contact a builder, preferably one you know and try to be at home when they spray it.

Good luck. :)

[Steve2]

Unfortunately as we've just moved here we don't know any builders in the area. So, other than the building inspector/builder who did our inspection and doesn't live in the area either, we may just go with the directory, but as you say, be sure to be here when it's done.
We've had nearly 9 inches here in 4 days with strong winds all directly onto this wall.

Thanks for your help.

[PeteV]

brick work is not commonly sealed. it is only as an added extra when/where required, that sealing is done to brickwork. single skin garages have never been designed to be water proof. to be water proof, you have to have a cavity with a dampcourse. even then, with constant water/rain, it will still penetrate. unfortunately, single skin garages is one of the cost saving measures that comes with modern building practices. spraying a sealer over your brickwork may help the problem, but it will be dependant on the quality of the brickwork finish, eg. holes, raked joints/struck joints, and so on... i think you only really need to worry about the garage, as the rest of the house should have a dampcourse around it. in saying that, be aware that sealers can change the colour of masonry products... hope this helps.

[Steve2]

Again, thanks Peter, help and advice very much appreciated. We have had built two homes in the past and neither were sealed to our knowledge, one brick and aluminium frame, other brick and timber frame, both country N.S.W.
We have never had this problem before, said wall faces side of property, so even if there was a change of colour, it would not be noticeable to general appearance.
The clay bricks used are unusual in style and finish, not the usual ones we've previously used, yes there are deliberate cracks and chips in the bricks, but I can't find any reference to name or maker.
Shall make some enquiries locally and see who says what.

[PeteV]

well, assuming you don't mind the difference of finish, your best bet is to bag the wall that leaks. this will provide a cheap method of sealing the brickwork that you can do yourself! hope this helps!

[Steve2]

Thanks again, In the meantime, contacted the original builder, found the clay bricks are the rough texture, tumbled look, uneven edges rustic appearance. He doesn't build single brick walls now, always cladded, but also suggested using a silicon waterproofing product available from leading hardware stores.......
So, now waiting for the bricks to dry out........

[jago]

Put a photo up of your bricks? I am wondering if they're like mine render bricks, not face bricks which would either need to be rendered or sealed I just had to bondcrete mine as the wet weather has come through a double brick !!!
Again, thanks Peter, help and advice very much appreciated. We have had built two homes in the past and neither were sealed to our knowledge, one brick and aluminium frame, other brick and timber frame, both country N.S.W.
We have never had this problem before, said wall faces side of property, so even if there was a change of colour, it would not be noticeable to general appearance.
The clay bricks used are unusual in style and finish, not the usual ones we've previously used, yes there are deliberate cracks and chips in the bricks, but I can't find any reference to name or maker.
Shall make some enquiries locally and see who says what.

[PeteV]

yeah the old render brick! i hate them! they hold the moisture in the mud and never seem to go off!!! the newer versions of the concrete common has more silicon in them to try and help make them more water resistant. unfortunately this makes the mud take even longer, to the point where a lot of brickies these days are putting accelerant in the mud when using them!