Curious about when its time for masonry repair or renovation? 

Whats wrong with brick in the images above? 

Trick question, since there are few things that are wrong. First thing to note is that these pictures are the result of a water damage that occurred in a basement. Other than the cosmetic paint wearing out, one of the most apparent issues is the decay of brick. Brick is typically a strong durable material, however if the brick becomes exposed to water, the brick quality degrades overtime. If the brick and mortar is  left untreated following a water damage, it can allow water to seep in between the bricks and mortar, causing it to swell or crack.  

Why should it be fixed? 

If brick is a strong material, why not just take out the old mortar and insert a new one?  Isn't that what is causing the problem? Yes, but if you simply insert new mortar in between cracked or spalling bricks it would be like using crazy glue to put pieces of rock together - its not the right way. You wouldn't want something like this to be supporting parts of your home. What happens if you don't repair anything at all? - well let's just say that "brick" wall becomes more easier for the big bad wolf to blow down. 

How should it be fixed? 

In this case, the best thing to do is to to remove all the bricks that need attention and completely remove deteriorated mortars well. Installing new bricks where needed and using new mortar is the best approach for the long run and will provide the best support.