Brick is a key bungalow feature. Peter Kleszcz, owner of highly rated Star Tuckpointing, a four-time Super Service Award winner, offers a few maintenance tips:

Hire an expert: Check the List, check references, check previous jobs. “Sloppy tuckpointing can ruin brick to the point where it cannot be restored and needs to be replaced,” he says.

Keep water away from your brick: This means maintaining your gutters, and making sure your sprinklers aren’t hitting the brick and your sidewalks don’t slope toward your house. “Continued exposure to moisture will cause efflorescence and accelerate brick deterioration,” he says.

Used brick is better: Kleszcz says he seeks out old brick from demolished Chicagoland buildings. “Reuse of these high-quality common bricks not only is environmentally friendly, it also provides a close match to existing historical characteristics.”