How to Fix Leaking Brick

Tear out any landscaping and structures close enough to the house to trap moisture. You can identify these problems by gently pulling back the plant leaves or the potentially problematic structure. If you see mold, mildew or moss growing on your brick, your brick is staying too moist and not drying.

Circle the outside of the house and look for cracking, crumbling mortar and damaged brick in the area of the leak. These are signs that the brick needs to be repointed -- meaning that the mortar must be torn out and rebuilt. Repointing is a job best handled by a professional because specific types of brick require specific types of mortar. If the wrong type of mortar is put on your house, it can cause more damage.

Apply water repellant to the walls if you see no evidence that the walls should be repointed. Water repellant is designed to keep water from seeping into the bricks while allowing water to evaporate out of the bricks if necessary. Do not apply sealer to the walls of your house because this will effectively trap moisture in your house and prevent your brick walls from breathing.