Advice on brick spalling please

hdh74

Hi, we moved house recently and are working our way around various issues. The survey brought up brick spalling, and advised to monitor and/or treat. If it is going to need doing, we would rather do so sooner rather than later due to our ages. 
Does anyone know if painting this on ourselves would be suitable: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Brick-Sealer-Breathable-Colourless-Waterproofer/dp/B00UG64U68/ref=sr_1_22_sspa?adgrpid=122904841351&hvadid=509894693209&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9046345&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=4522313463727817250&hvtargid=kwd-300475816026&hydadcr=26220_1767540&keywords=spalling+brick+repair&qid=1678900495&refinements=p_72:419153031&rnid=419152031&sr=8-22-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9tdGY&psc=1

JohnJ76

Others may have better experience but personally the 'breathable' waterproofers I think are a little like snake oil.  They may delay spalling a little but unless they are properly breathable then moisture trapped in the bricks could cause spalling to quicken. 

How bad is the spalling? can you post a pic?

stuart45

Are they spalling because they were originally built with lime mortar, but have been repointed with a strong sand/cement mix?

hdh74

stuart45 said:

Are they spalling because they were originally built with lime mortar, but have been repointed with a strong sand/cement mix?

I don't know. The survey didn't give a cause. (we had a full buildings survey).

hdh74

Photos (it varies):

hdh74

And a few more:

stuart45

How old is the house?

hdh74

stuart45 said:

How old is the house?

58 years.

stuart45

It's probably been originally built with a sand/cement mix then, although it looks like it's been repointed with a much stronger mix which doesn't help.
The problem with those rustic bricks with a heavy texture is that they tend to hold on to the moisture longer. Before they are fired, a slop clay is thrown on to the face to give the texture. This is mainly what is coming off with the freeze/thaw cycles. 
When walls get insulated, this makes matters worse, as they take longer to dry out.
If you want to try a sealer, a silane siloxane sealer is said to be the best.
The old school method was a 50/50 linseed oil/turps mix.

hdh74

I'm wondering if we should get a spalling treatment firm out. We're not very agile, being pensioners, so that might be a better bet. But we'd need to be sure they use the right stuff.

FreeBear

hdh74 said:

I'm wondering if we should get a spalling treatment firm out. We're not very agile, being pensioners, so that might be a better bet. But we'd need to be sure they use the right stuff.

You will probably get charged way, way more than the job is worth - Some of these companies specialise in inflating costs and ripping off the elderly.

You would be better off finding a decent local handyman if you really want the work done. But I'm of the opinion that these "treatments" that are painted on don't really do anything.