Ask anyone who does masonry near me Tinley Park what damages the most brick and they won't say wind or sun — they'll say water that freezes. The freeze–thaw cycle drives most of the masonry deterioration in this part of the southwest suburbs, and once you understand it, you'll know where the weak spots on your own home are.
How the cycle works
Brick and mortar are porous; they absorb small amounts of water from rain, snowmelt and humidity. When the temperature drops below freezing, that trapped water turns to ice and expands by about nine percent, pushing the masonry apart from the inside. One freeze does little. The damage is in the repetition — and a Tinley Park winter swings above and below freezing again and again, sometimes within a single day.
Where it shows up first
- Spalling brick, where the face flakes off and the soft interior is exposed.
- Eroded, softening mortar that opens new paths for water.
- Step cracks climbing the joints near openings and foundations.
- Chimney damage, since chimneys are exposed on all sides and rarely warm.
Freeze–thaw damage is really a water-management problem. Control where water goes and you slow the deterioration dramatically — no matter how cold it gets.
What actually helps
- Keep gutters clear and downspouts carrying water well away from the walls.
- Grade soil to slope away from the foundation; splashback against the lowest courses is a classic failure point.
- Repair failing joints before winter — every open joint invites water.
- Be careful with sealers. A breathable product can help; the wrong film-forming sealer traps moisture inside and makes freeze–thaw worse.
When to get a look
If you're already seeing spalled brick or soft mortar, the cycle is underway. A good contractor — the kind you find when you search masonry near me Tinley Park — will track down the water source, not just patch the symptom. Fixing the brick without fixing the water is how people pay twice.