Spalling 4

This is a neat old building. You can see a lot of spalling down low, probably caused by groundwater and salts seeping upwards.

Restorers in England determined that a lot of knee-high masonry damage in that country is also caused by urine. Human urine contains a lot of salts, as well as uric acid, and water--all damaging to masonry. The British pub culture is not unlike Alamos cantina culture, so the cause of long-term damage here might be similar.

Let's take a closer look.

Here you can see spalling, lower center. The grey cement used to repoint the brick to the right will accelerate the brick damage in a matter of years, requiring more repair, and so on. Only the authority of outside experts could possibly convince the builders to change their ways.