Brick Pointing in Edenwald, Bronx

Does a Brick House in Edenwald Need Repointing?

If the mortar is crumbling, sanding out or recessed far behind the brick face, yes. Edenwald has many brick and brick faced one and two family houses, and their joints weather over decades. Pointing renews the mortar so rain does not soak the wall.

Most Edenwald houses are detached or semi detached, which means more wall surface open to weather than in a row of attached buildings. Each side of a house ages a little differently. The side facing prevailing rain usually fails first.

Chimneys, garden walls and front stoops are the other places mortar goes. A chimney stands in full weather, and a stoop gets salt and splash. Both are worth a look when you have the main wall inspected.

Brick faced homes near Seton Falls Park and the tree lined blocks stay damp longer, because shade slows drying. Moss, algae and dark streaks on the mortar tell you that moisture lingers there. A wall that never dries out loses its joints sooner.

Attached garages and rear additions often have a different brick or mortar than the main house. We check each section on its own, since one mortar recipe will not suit all of them.

What Does Repointing Involve and What Rules Apply?

The crew grinds or chisels out loose mortar to a safe depth, cleans the joints and packs in new mortar in layers. Tooling matches the original profile. Work on a house wall is generally private property work. Confirm current rules with the city, especially for scaffolding or work near the sidewalk.

The mortar mix matters. Older brick needs mortar softer than the brick, or the faces crack. We match strength, color and texture to your wall so the repair does not look patched.

Chimney work happens at height, so the crew sets up safe access and protects the roof and yard. If the job touches the public sidewalk, a DOT permit may apply, and the sidewalk below must stay in good order under the owner maintenance rules. Our guide to sidewalk violations explains the basics.