Fix a gap in my porch?

Hi AJ,

It's hard to tell from the picture if the area below the siding and next to the brick is old wood siding or concrete. It's also hard to tell if a small brick is missing (removed when the siding was installed?) or the structure is pulling away from the house. If the area next to the brick is concrete, you can mix up some mortar mix and fill the cavity. Chip away the old mortar first and blow out any debris before filling. There are several youtubes that show you how to do it like the one below. If it is wood, you do not want to do anything that would invite rot. There are some new waterproof spray foams you could use to fill the area and then seal with flexible concrete sealant type caulk. There is always the "do nothing" option. Other than not looking great, it may have been that way for a long time with no issues. Can you contact the previous owner to ask?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dG2E4Sf_Ot8

Looks like the brick has settled away from the house. You will want to block this gap soon. If water gets in there you’ll have problems down the road. Especially if it freezes. The best thing to do is redo the flashing. That’s not something we’ve ever DIYd, but it’s probably do able:)

Since there is mortar on the end of the brick I assume the bricks have settled and separated from the wall as one whole slab. For a temporary fix fill the gap with a foam backer rod and pour a slurry of hydraulic cement. Hydraulic cement expands as it hardens. Basically used to fill cracks in foundation walls to stop leaks. You can also use Great Stuff expandable foam to fill the gap. Once it's expanded and hardened you can trim it level with the brick.

You can try using an expansion joint caulk to fill it.

if it is a new home couldn't you call the builder and ask them to fix it?

This looks like an issue that needs a foundation specialist to review. Hopefully it is the porch and not the house that is causing the problem. Normally they will do an inspection at no charge and give you recommendations.

Is this a new home? If so talk to the person that built it and ask them. I would want to find out exactly what the problem is. If you suspect a foundation problem could be what caused this you might look into contacting a business like Terra Firma I believe they give free quotes (at least they do in Oregon).

If this is a new home, call the contractor and builder and ask them to fix the problem. It looks like the bricks have moved away from the side of the house. You could put a backer board in that space and then fill with cement. But first talk to your builder

Hello. I might suggest getting a handyman out there to repair your situation. We had a French door problem newly installed that would inconspicuously leak water floating it onto the inside to the hardwood floors in a subtle weeping fashion . We ended up tearing out the 3-4 yo door because of the questionable installation and door quality worried about interior wood rot and further structural issues.

Hope you find the way to correct your situation in a effective efficient manner.

I would seal it so water doesn't run down in there. When we had a new patio door installed, they found it wasn't properly insulated/sealed and they fixed it for us with some caulk and foam like material they wedged in and it has worked like a charm. I found this video, it may help: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N7SY3E7V2ps

I would mix some morter and squeeze it in there - maybe using something like a frosting bag so you can be more precise.

Looks like the brick has settled away from the house. Make sure you direct any and all water away from your foundation and this area. You can try filling it with backer rod and mortar or concrete. Keep an eye on it as if it keeps moving, you’ll need a pro to come by and figure out why.

If water can get in there it will and it will also most likely mean problems so fix this now and please be safe.

Have you noticed any gaps anywhere else. I found a gap in my sidewalk and when I started looking around even noticed a gap on my foundation (this is gonna cost a few dollars to fix).