Rainwater Out Solutions with Effective Masonry Patio
It’s not every day that we’re outside taking pictures of rain running down the face of buildings, but once in a while circumstances and weather happens to force us to be out there, even during a rainstorm. The pictures below show a masonry facade at the corner of a historic building. The pictures below show water running down the face of this facade at multiple different angles and positions.
There are elements here that were meant to or originally intended to divert and carry the water away from the building. That’s the typical role of a variety of different components intended to manage the flow of water. Some of these principal or main components and typical historic masonry construction involved the water tables, sills, protruding headers, gutters, downspouts, outlets, elbows, and splash blocks or rain leaders that run or collect the water and channel the water underground.
Unfortunately for this building though, this water is not being properly managed. Instead a lot of the water is running the wrong way out of some of the pipe work that was originally intended to carry that water away from the building. Also, water is running down the face of the facade at multiple locations and therein causing the mortar and masonry to hydrate excessively which is leading to accelerated deterioration. Masonry deteriorates naturally and somewhat inevitably over time.
However, when water is channeled on to these surfaces, the masonry will deteriorate more rapidly and more severely. The difference can be significant. Even though masonry normally deteriorates at a relatively slow rate, when it’s excessively overhydrated at each iteration of precipitation, damage can be exponential compared to masonry that’s well protected and or buildings that have properly managed rain drainage systems.
In the picture above, you can see a portion of a downspout running in a near horizontal position. Generally, downspouts are intended to run down vertically, but in some cases they have to change position horizontally, and these changes are generally done by running the piping horizontally to a degree. Even though the pipe it’s intended to run near horizontal, it’s particularly not perfectly horizontal or level.
That’s intentional because if a downspout is actually level and horizontal it will not drain properly and water will stop inside of the pipe. Over time this will lead to clogging. Especially during our bitter winter months, the water will freeze up inside of that pipe and damage the pipe or called build up and back up inside of the drain system.
The next picture below shows the base of the building at the ground in this area below that open downspout. Not only has the uncontrolled rainwater caused damage where it’s washed over the building again and again from multiple different precipitations events, year after year, but it’s also damaged the mortar and the masonry and the adjacent paving at the base of the ground and likely at the underground foundation as well.
Many people think of building foundations as a support that just gives structural bearing below ground. While it might be true from a low path type perspective, here in Washington DC, most or at least half of our buildings have underground interior building space, rooms and basements as well.
Even where these basements aren’t used as finished space, they serve us functionally because we use them for storage and every bit of square footage of a building is highly valuable here in Washington, DC. Without question, water enters into open brick joints or open interstitial space between adjacent paving and a masonry foundation, especially when soaked with water from open downspouts above. Being soaked like this leads to accelerated deterioration which in turn leads to water leakage into the building envelope or structural foundation. This type of water entry leads to damage and accelerated deterioration which shortens the life of a building.
Building masonry repairs might be extensive, but it’s certain that they are worth it. Almost every example of building repairs has a positive ROI and prevention and maintenance such as simply repairing the damaged and or broken water diversion system can save and exponential amount in the long run.
In the last picture below, you can see the raindrops of water just running down close to the face of the facade of the building. Behind these raindrops the brick joints have deteriorated and will allow water entry into the deeper parts of the masonry assembly which will lead to damage.
We can Help
Our company focuses on historic restoration more than modern building upkeep, maintenance, and construction, but our company understands both types of construction very well and a full picture well-rounded approach is needed in any niche in the construction industry. Although we focus on historic restoration, repointing, tuckpointing and historic brick repair, our company also has technical knowledge and competencies in the areas of modern and contemporary construction as well as we become one of the leaders in that area of the market today. Understanding both historic and modern or contemporary construction is useful because both aspects help understand the challenges and potential solutions for challenges in building science and construction.
We can help with a variety of historic masonry restoration needs and upkeep, from modest tuckpointing and or repointing to complicated and extensive historic masonry restoration. Infinity Design Solutions is a historic restoration specialist contractor specializing in both historic masonry restoration such as tuckpointing our repointing, and brick repair. If you have questions about the architectural details or facade of your historic building in Washington DC, reach out and say hello and if we can help we’ll be glad to assist you. You can email us or call us on the telephone at the following link: contact us here.
