Jeff Somers is a freelancer who has been writing about writing, books, personal finance, and home maintenance since 2012. When not writing, Jeff spends his free time fixing up his old house. He has ...

Failing mortar shouldn't be left to chance. It can quickly lead to serious issues for your home. When gaps start to appear between bricks, water can penetrate the structure, leading to damp patches ...

Wind, rain and frost all damage the mortar between bricks. This makes the wall less weatherproof – so repointing (which simply means replacing) the mortar is important to stop the wall wearing away.

We've all seen it: The brick or stone wall where the mortar is all powdery, cracked or non-existent. "Mortar can disintegrate over time because of weather as a result of the freeze-thaw cycles. The ...

As a former realtor, general contractor and greenhouse operator, Kristi has touched nearly all aspects of homeownership, from the foundation up. Today, Kristi is a full-time investing and real estate ...