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The Sustainability Of Brick

by Sonja

Posted on March 6, 2020 8:11 AM

Are you looking for a new home or considering an extensive remodel? A few questions are probably swirling through your mind: What’s affordable? What’s the most durable option? What will grow in value as time passes?

Big decisions usually don’t come with easy answers, and almost always involve compromise. That’s not the case when you build with brick. This environmentally friendly and strong building material checks all the right boxes, leaving you with only one more question: When does the construction project begin?

Brick is strong

In its history of over 5,000 years, brick has been used by the ancient Egyptians, Romans, and the people of the Indus Valley civilization. The beauty of brick is that its reliability has only increased over the years. 

Formed in flames, brick has the innate ability to guard against fire. In fact, brick has an impressive 1 hour fire-resistance rating. It’s also strong enough to stand its ground against a huff and a puff or high winds that blow debris everywhere. Brick’s integrity isn’t weakened by moisture, so it won’t rot or become infested with termites. And there’s a reason why the saying “running into a brick wall” exists. Brick doesn’t budge or dent upon impact. 

Brick is smart

Brick can stand up to Mother Nature’s tests. Now what does it cost? It’s true that the price tag is higher at first than other materials, but it’s an investment. After you make that initial purchase, you’ll pay less on many other bills.

Most brick houses have lower insurance cost because of the superiority of brick. You won’t need to spend money on repairs for wear-and-tear or sudden surprises, unless you live in a neighborhood where wrecking balls fly around aimlessly. Brick has exceptional thermal mass, which means it can absorb heat during the day and release it slowly at night. This saves you money on heating and cooling bills while also reducing your carbon footprint.

Finally, the return on investment is higher than if you were to build with other materials. In this case, moving out of your brick home could be profitable for you, even if you’d like to stay forever. When compared to vinyl homes, brick gains value at an average of about 9.5% and sells for at least 6% more.

Brick is sustainable

Clay is one of the most abundant natural resources on Earth, and therefore using it to make brick is very sustainable. At Cherokee Brick, the manufacturing kilns run on natural and methane gas, and the production process never wastes any leftover clay. Reclaimed, or recycled, brick is used for landscaping and building sub-bases.

Homes built with brick are made to last. According to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, brick has a lifespan of 100 years. That’s a solid lifetime for most people, and many buildings still standing today prove that brick endures much longer and better than other building materials.