We've all heard the story as kids of the three little pigs and how the big bad wolf blew down the house of straw and then another of sticks. But, to the dismay of the big bad wolf, he could not blow down the house made of bricks. The sturdiness of the bonded bricks provided a safe home for the three little pigs.
As we get older we associate that story from our childhood to home safety and security. Most people consider the safeness of a brick home as top notch from protection from the elements of high winds, no matter if it is the big bad wolf or a big bad hurricane.
But ask your self a question. Are brick homes built within the last 30 to 40 years built the same way during the time that the Three Little Pigs were written, or even 50 years ago? Are most modern homes "solid brick?" The answer for most parts of the country is no they are not.
I'm sure you are saying to yourself, "Wait a minute, I have a brick home and it was built within the last 30 years!" Sure you have a brick home, but it is most likely not solid brick masonry. What you have is brick veneer!
So, how can you tell the difference?
Solid brick homes are old school homes. There is no wooden frame when it is initially built. The brick layers lay the mold and stack the bricks on top of the foundation working their way up. On the other hand, brick veneer homes use the same type of bricks but there is a wooden frame in place before the brick work begins. Then the brick layers lay the bricks around the frame.
The Carson Dunlap Consulting Engineers website states that with a solid brick house "the brick is holding up the house. With brick veneer the house is holding up the brick," and the brick acts as siding to the house. The consulting firm goes on to explain that:
Brick veneer became the norm when building codes began to require insulation in the exterior walls. One of the best insulators is air. Most good insulation does nothing but trap air; that's why most insulations are light and fluffy. Brick is not exactly light and fluffy. Therefore it's not really a very good insulator. A brick veneer house then, is really a wood frame house where the cavity between the studs in the wall can be insulated.
Which style makes for a better house is a judgment call on your part. Solid brick homes are certainly stronger, but are not well insulated. Brick veneer homes are still strong, although not as strong as solid brick, but are much better insulated. There are advantages to both, but most builders use the brick veneer technique to meet building code standards. Keep the advantages of both in mind when you decide to sell or buy your next house.
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