The quickest way is to look at the building/ home for any large cracks or gaps in the mortar or brick. This is a tell-tale sign for at a minimum Tuckpointing is needed Look for large sections where the mortar looks lower than other areas or if the faces of brick are coming off or the color is changing from surrounding brick area, this is very common in areas where Salt or Ice Melter’s are used regularly. If in doubt we offer a free estimate for any of your masonry concerns and would love to come take a look at if for you!