Here’s the setup: You’re just a pig trying to live your life, make a good living, and come home to warm and cozy house made of straw. But your neighbor has other plans and decides to blow down your beautifully built and DIY straw house. In turmoil, you decide to go to your brother for shelter and comfort. Only to discover that his house, made of what he believed to be sturdy stick, is also destroyed. At this point, you both are flabbergasted; do your neighbors really hate you that much? Finally, feeling distraught about both of your homes, you decide to go to your other brother’s home. Thankfully, you see that it is completely intact and you begin to celebrate. Your third brother begins to tell you the terrifying tale of how this big bad neighbor tried to blow down his house! However, this home made of brick caused the neighbor to feel defeated, and he retreated to his homestead. The three pigs were so joyful at the moment to know their brother was the smart one and had a house built of sturdy and reliable brick.
Now, we don’t want to kill fairy tales by any means, but what if we were to tell you brick isn’t all it’s cracked up to be? Hearing this story as a child has led you to believe that brick for your Denver home may be the best choice out there. Well, in all actuality, brick has a lot of pitfalls and is why you don’t see this type of housing material used on many homes in your neighborhood. At this juncture in your adult life, it is time to toss out the notion that brick is going to protect you from the big bad wolf: Wolf meaning weather, damage, and hindrance of creativity.
DJK Construction, Inc. wants to help you make an educated and smart decision when it comes to siding your home. While there may be many siding options out there, we can help you choose the right one for your home. Our siding contractors have been in business for many years and will try their hardest to not let your house blow down.
Disadvantages of Brick Homes
Temperature
Living in Denver teaches you to be prepared for any of Mother Nature’s elements at a moment’s notice. We are called the “four seasons in one day” state for a reason. This means your home’s siding needs to accommodate such drastic changes through all of the seasons. Brick, while looking distinctive, will not be practical for a home in Denver due to the fact it cannot handle drastic temperature changes. While other siding materials, such as wood and aluminum, can contract and expand when temperatures alter, brick does not have the same ability. This causes the brick to break down after only a few years due to weather damage. Brick will begin to crack because snow and water can make its way into the pores of the brick and, once it freezes, it expands. This causes brick to deteriorate steadily since it was not prepared for these changes. Eventually, you will need to replace the brick and that can get very costly.
Construction
Building a house from brick is much more labor intensive and requires a lot more time. Brick homes have to built in perfect weather conditions so the brick can attach to the mortar. If the brick does not adhere to the mortar correctly, this can cause the home to be unstable. Rain and cold are kryptonite for the construction of the home and the brick has to be protected from the moisture during the install process. If it begins to rain during the installation, which you never know will happen in Denver, the house would need to be covered up quickly to salvage the work that has already been completed. Once the brick is laid, there is usually a protective coating applied; unfortunately, it only goes so far to protect against the elements. Our siding installers believe other siding options are going to be faster, easier, and better for your Denver home.
Foundation
Brick is a heavy material. Which means you need a sturdy and heavy foundation available to lay down your home on. Sometimes, the brick is too heavy and the foundation will start to give, which a terrifying and very costly event. Using lightweight materials like aluminum siding will lessen the weight on the foundation and you won’t have to risk this type of event.
Cost
Most people have budgets when it comes to remodeling their home. Brick is an expensive material to build your home with. The labor to build a brick home is not for the weak. Each brick needs to be laid one by one and be secured with a material called mortar. On top of the cost of the installation, the cost of repair is also substantial. If you see bricks starting to crack, chip, or crumble, it is not an easy fix. Unlike replacing a siding panel if it gets damaged, you have to replace the entire brick wall. This can become a burden and not something you were prepared for.
Color
Some people like the traditional look of brick and don’t need a plethora of options when it comes to designing the outside of their Denver home. Brick does come in some other colors but the options are much more limited than aluminum or other siding materials. The other option is to paint brick, but just like installation, this is a labor intensive process. You have to make sure the paint is getting into all the grooves of the brick, it won’t be appealing if there are spots missed.
While you may love the appearance of a brick home, you should consider all these disadvantages with brick and stick with something more eco-friendly, cost efficient, and versatile for your home in Denver. Our siding installers can help you decide which siding will be best and get started right away on installing it to your house. Our installers have been in business for many years and know how important proper installation is. Learn more by checking out our blog every month and contact us to get started today!
