I was told that when I put salt on my driveway in the winter it can cause the bricks to start breaking down along the lower part of a wall. Is that true?
Answer
Yes, that’s definitely possible. Salt and other deicing chemicals can get into porous brick and mortar along the bottom of a wall. Add water and repeated Michigan freezing and thawing, and the face of the brick can eventually start flaking or breaking apart. We see this quite a bit on brick close to driveways, sidewalks and porches. If possible, try to keep salt away from the brick and use it sparingly near masonry. Once bricks have started deteriorating badly, they usually need to be removed and replaced.
