Managing property along the Gulf and Southeast coast means treating hurricane season as a fixed part of the calendar, not a surprise. Masonry is one of the most resilient things you can have when a storm hits, brick and block shrug off wind-driven debris that shreds siding, but only if it was sound going in. Every June, before the season ramps up, I walk every masonry surface on my buildings with a checklist. A small defect you ignore in spring becomes a failure point at 120 miles an hour.
Why masonry is worth inspecting before a storm
Storm forces find weaknesses. Wind pressure, wind-driven rain, and flying debris all probe for the loose brick, the open joint, the cracked wall. A wall that is 95 percent sound can still fail at the 5 percent that was already compromised, and once wind-driven water gets into a wall, it can travel far and do damage well beyond the entry point. The point of a pre-season check is to find and close those weaknesses while it is calm.
The pre-season checklist
What I look for, every year:
- Loose or cracked units, any brick or block that moves, or cracks wide enough to admit water, get them fixed now
- Open or failed mortar joints, the entry point for wind-driven rain; the signs are in how to tell when mortar has failed
- Cracks that suggest movement, especially stair-step or horizontal ones worth evaluating before a storm loads the wall
- Chimney and parapet condition, tall elements take the most wind and are the most dangerous if they fail
- Drainage and weep holes clear, so the wall can shed the enormous water volume a storm dumps
- Anything loose that could become a projectile, caps, loose stone, decorative elements
Fix the water paths first
If I can only do a few things before a storm, I make sure water has somewhere to go and nowhere unintended to get in. That means clearing weep holes and drains, sealing genuinely open joints, and confirming grading and downspouts carry water away from foundations rather than toward them. Wind-driven rain is relentless during a hurricane, and a wall that cannot drain becomes a saturated, heavy, vulnerable mass.
Build and repair to code
In coastal jurisdictions, masonry repairs and new work are governed by wind-load provisions in the building code, and reinforcement details matter more here than almost anywhere. Storm preparedness and property-protection resources for homeowners are available through FEMA. Do the walk-around every spring, close the small defects before the season, and your masonry becomes the part of the building you worry about least when the forecast turns.
After the storm: what to check before you relax
The inspection does not end when the wind does. Once it is safe to go outside, walk the masonry again with fresh eyes, because storm loads can open problems that were not visible the day before. Look for new cracks, especially stair-step or horizontal ones, and for any brick or block that has shifted or loosened. Check the base of walls and the foundation for signs that water pooled or undermined the soil. Look closely at chimneys and any tall element for lean or dislodged caps. And watch the inside of exterior walls over the following days for damp patches, because wind-driven rain can push water deep into a wall where it shows up slowly rather than all at once. Photograph anything you find, both for your own records and for any insurance claim, since documenting damage promptly matters. Small issues found now, an open joint, a hairline crack, a loose cap, are cheap to close before the next system arrives; the same defects ignored become the failure point when the following storm tests the wall again.
Frequently asked questions
How should I prepare masonry for hurricane season? Inspect before the season for loose or cracked units, open mortar joints, movement cracks, and chimney or parapet issues, and fix them while it is calm. Clear weep holes and drains, confirm water drains away from foundations, and secure anything loose that could become a projectile.
Is a brick house safer in a hurricane? Masonry is generally more resistant to wind and flying debris than lighter cladding like siding, which is a real advantage in a storm. But that resilience depends on the masonry being sound, properly reinforced and free of loose units and open joints, going into the storm.
What is the biggest masonry risk during a storm? Wind-driven rain entering through open or failed mortar joints and cracks, and tall elements like chimneys or parapets failing under wind load. Both are preventable with a pre-season inspection that closes open joints and addresses any loose or cracked masonry. Tall elements are exactly what mandated facade inspections exist to catch — a NYC facade repair contractor is checking parapets and chimneys on a fixed cycle rather than after a storm warning.