Question 1

Why does the mortar matter so much on my older Maplewood brick home?

Accepted Answer

Pre-war brick in Maplewood was manufactured at lower firing temperatures than modern brick, which makes it softer and more porous. The lime-based mortars used at the time were intentionally softer than the brick so that the joint — not the brick face — absorbs the stress from minor wall movement and freeze-thaw cycles. When a harder modern Portland-cement mortar is used for repointing, the joint becomes stiffer than the brick around it. Thermal and moisture movement then cracks the brick face instead of the joint, causing the spalling and crumbling you cannot easily repair. Roca tests the existing mortar hardness and uses a compatible Type N or lime-modified mix that protects the brick rather than stressing it.

Question 2

Does masonry repointing require a permit in Maplewood?

Accepted Answer

Cosmetic repointing of an existing chimney, wall, or stoop in Maplewood generally does not require a building permit. Structural masonry work — replacing a chimney stack above the roofline, building new walls, or replacing a stoop with a new footing — typically does require a permit through Maplewood's Construction Department. For any work that touches or replaces the front steps or entry stoop, we verify permit requirements with the township before starting. Roca handles the permit application and inspection coordination when it is required; that process is our responsibility as the licensed contractor, not something you need to manage on your end.

Question 3

My brick chimney is leaking but only shows damage at the top — can I just re-cap it?

Accepted Answer

A cracked or deteriorated cap is often the entry point, but water inside a chimney typically damages more than just the top. Once water gets past a cracked crown, it works through the mortar joints in the upper courses, collects at the flashing line, and migrates into the structure below. On a Maplewood home that has been through 80-plus winters, it is common to find open joints in the top two to four courses, a compromised crown, and loose or lifted step flashing all contributing to the same leak. Re-capping alone may slow the problem without solving it. Roca scopes the full chimney before recommending a repair so you are not paying to fix the same leak twice.