In Northern Illinois, what you do in October determines how your masonry survives through March. Our brutal freeze-thaw cycles — sometimes 80+ per winter — exploit every crack, gap, and deteriorated mortar joint in your brickwork. Water gets in, freezes, expands, and slowly tears masonry apart from the inside.
At RCC Masonry & Concrete, we see the consequences every spring when homeowners call about damage that could have been prevented with fall preparation. Here's the pre-winter checklist we recommend.
Inspect & Repair All Mortar Joints
This is the single most impactful step. Walk your entire home and examine every mortar joint you can reach. Look for joints that are crumbling, recessed, cracked, or missing entirely. Any deteriorated mortar must be tuckpointed before freeze season — these are the entry points water uses to get inside your masonry and cause freeze-thaw damage.
Check Your Chimney Top to Bottom
Your chimney is the most vulnerable masonry element. Inspect the crown for cracks, the flashing for gaps, and the mortar joints for deterioration. Install a chimney cap if you don't have one — it prevents rain, snow, and animals from entering the flue. A $200 chimney cap can prevent thousands in water damage.
Seal Cracks in Brick & Stone
Any cracks in brick faces, stone veneer, or between masonry and window/door frames need to be sealed before winter. Use a color-matched masonry caulk for cosmetic cracks and have structural cracks evaluated by a professional. Even hairline cracks allow enough water entry to cause spalling during freeze-thaw cycles.
Clean Gutters & Manage Water Drainage
Overflowing gutters dump hundreds of gallons of water directly onto your brick walls and against your foundation. Clean all gutters and ensure downspouts discharge at least 6 feet from the house. This single step prevents more masonry damage than any other maintenance task.
Inspect Window Sills, Lintels & Caps
Brick window sills, stone lintels (the horizontal pieces above windows and doors), and wall caps are horizontal surfaces that collect standing water. Check that they slope outward for drainage, have intact mortar joints, and aren't cracked. Seal any gaps between lintels and the brickwork above them.
Consider a Breathable Masonry Sealer
For masonry in good condition (with intact mortar joints), a breathable silane/siloxane sealer reduces moisture absorption by up to 95% while still allowing internal moisture to escape as vapor. This is especially valuable for exposed stone masonry and brick veneer that faces prevailing winter weather.
Important Warning:
Never apply a sealer to masonry with deteriorated mortar joints. Sealing traps moisture inside the wall, dramatically accelerating freeze-thaw damage. Fix the mortar first, then seal.
Your Fall Masonry Checklist
- ✓ Tuckpoint any deteriorated mortar joints
- ✓ Repair chimney crown cracks and replace missing flashing
- ✓ Install chimney cap if missing
- ✓ Seal cracks in bricks, stone, and around frames
- ✓ Clean gutters and extend downspouts
- ✓ Verify window sills and lintels drain properly
- ✓ Apply breathable sealer to masonry in good condition
- ✓ Check foundation walls for new cracks
Need help preparing your masonry for winter? RCC Masonry & Concrete offers fall inspections and pre-winter repairs throughout McHenry County and Lake County. Call (224) 441-5284 to get on our fall schedule before temperatures drop.