Brick homes are hard to ignore. They have a very unique charm to them and always draw a lot of attention. While they’re beautiful to look at, there are a lot of other benefits that are often overlooked. If you want reasons to add brick to your home other than beauty, you’ve come to the right place. We’ve put together our top 5 favorite reasons to find, or build, a home with brick.
One of the best things about brick homes is the outstanding durability that it has. Brick is a time-tested building material and while the initial costs may be a bit higher than other materials, the longevity will be worth the investment.
A specific feature of brick is the fact that it lasts much longer than any other building material. When you find, or build, a brick home, you don’t have to worry about rotting, painting or denting. It is tested against the elements and able to sustain much stronger forces than vinyl, wood, aluminum or EIFS. Additionally, as the years pass brick ages with beauty, which means that your resale value will be much higher than a home with vinyl.
With all of the strength that comes with a home built with brick, you won’t need to spend tons of time each year on maintenance. You can relax and enjoy the extra time for family, friends or other projects.
In addition to lasting durability, homes that are built with brick have more protection. Check out some of the following benefits of brick.
First and foremost, homes built with brick are not surprisingly, fire resistant. Since brick is a non-combustible material, it holds up against temperatures reaching up to 2000 F. In comparison, homes built with vinyl materials only last for minutes in temperatures this hot.
If you don’t live in a place where fires are a major concern, it’s likely that you’ll benefit from the protection that brick gives from strong winds. Homes built with brick can withstand winds that are approximately 55mph higher than homes built with other materials. In places prone to hurricanes, your homeowners insurance may even offer a discount for brick buildings.
Brick also provides a high level of protection for unwanted moisture. It is far less prone to mold and does not experience any wood rot. In comparison to wood and vinyl homes, bricks are resistant to humidity because the materials used to make them are natural and regulate moisture on their own.
Whether you live in a big city like Chicago or near overly loud neighbors, brick homes can offer you an added layer of sound insulation. In fact, depending on the thickness of your walls, brick homes can absorb 45 decibels or more of sound so you can enjoy some peace and quiet.
Finally, brick offers a layer of pest protection that you can’t find with any other material. Solid brick homes don’t attract termites and, even if they tried, they are completely unable to penetrate it. Additionally, if the brick is solid it protects against mice and small animals. If you have a brick veneer foundation it’s important to keep in mind that your interior framing is made of wood and still may be prone to pests.
It’s hard to deny that brick buildings are beautiful. There are so many options to choose from and it ages like a fine wine. Bricks come in thousands of colors, sizes and finishes, which make each home extraordinarily unique. That’s why we think choosing a home with brick is a great choice. Not only will it appeal to the eye while you’re living there, but if you ever decide to move the retail value of brick is much higher than homes built with other materials.
It’s no surprise that brick homes are more efficiently built. In addition to protecting your home from the elements, brick homes are also much more energy efficient. The temperature of your home won’t fluctuate as much because of the density of bricks. Whether your cooling your home during the summer or warming it during the winter, your energy bills are sure to be much less with brick.
As the world moves towards more eco-friendly choices, many people prefer brick homes. It is by far the most sustainable building material available. Not only is it completely natural, but bricks also have little to no waste and are easily recyclable. Most companies even reuse their own brick waste in order to build other products. In addition, natural gas and other natural materials fuel almost all of the kilns used to fire and finish bricks. Since brick buildings have such a long lifespan, and can be reused for so long, there is less energy needed for manufacturing materials.
Looking for expert advice for brickwork, masonry restoration or tuckpointing? Contact Chicago Tuckpointing today at (708) 942-1951 for a free estimate