John A. Weeks III wrote:
In article .com,
wrote:

Well let me rephrase the question: "How long does brick last"?
There
is a brick house I'm interested in that was made in the mid-1800s.
I
was told years ago that brick had a lifespan of about 150 years
before
it starts to crumble. Does this sound right? Should brick homes
that
old be avoided?

That is hard to say without inspecting it. Modern brick and
modern mortar is better than what they had 100 years ago.
The bottom line is that all the factors that matter are non
brick factors, like how good the flashing and drainage is,
if any water is getting behind it, and how good is the
foundation. That all assumes it is brick veneer, and the
brick is not a structural component.

What shape is the brink in now? If it is in good shape, you
should be able to maintain it for your lifespan by inspecting
it every so often, calking it to keep the water out, replacing
broken bricks, and tuck-pointing when needed.

-john-


I agree with the above. It can and should be inspected. I've seen brick
fall apart in only a few years. It's like buying a used car. They age
differently. Your brick is not going to be good today and bad tomorrow.
It's a process. So find out where you are.