Have you ever noticed that some brick surfaces have powdery white blotches all over them? Those blotches are called “efflorescence.” According to the Brick Industry Association, “efflorescence occurs when water containing dissolved salts is brought to the surface of masonry, the water evaporates, and the salts are left on the
Unlike ivy, efflorescence doesn’t contribute to the character of a brick wall. Instead, it just looks like something is wrong. Fortunately, you do not have to live with efflorescence. The pros at Majestic Windows & Exterior Cleaning can remove it for you by pressure washing the brick.
Mistakes to Avoid When Removing Efflorescence with Pressure Washing
Pressure washing is a great way to remove efflorescence from a brick wall. However, it requires the knowledge and experience of a properly trained professional. That’s because removing efflorescence entails more than just pointing the high-pressure nozzle at the wall and turning the settings up to 11.
The technician must first assess the state of the wall, the extent of the efflorescence incursion and determine the right pressure settings and cleaning solution to do the job without damaging the brick. Besides not rushing into the job the technician must also avoid making these common mistakes:
Using muriatic acid to clean the brick
The guy at the hardware store may have tried to sell you on the benefits of using muriatic acid to clean efflorescence from brick, but you’d be wise to ignore him. Muriatic acid is too harsh for cleaning brick and more often than not damages the brick surface and the mortar. The experienced techs from Majestic won’t make this mistake.
Using high-pressure water
Inexperienced pressure washers make this mistake all the time. If too much pressure is used to clean the brick it can cause fretting, a process where the face of the brick begins to crumble away. Once the process starts there is no turning back. The bricks will need to be replaced. Our highly-trained techs never make this mistake.
Using a wire brush on the brick
Inexperienced power washing technicians sometimes get impatient and to speed things up take a wire brush to the efflorescence. Mistake! Using a wire brush is like using a gun to kill a mosquito. Pure overkill. Not only that but the wire brush will initiate fretting and delamination of the brick surface along with disintegration of the mortar. You won’t see our techs reaching for the wire brush.
Can Efflorescence be Prevented?
It can be nearly impossible to predict which brick surfaces will experience efflorescence and which won’t. The only preventive measure of any use is storing the bricks in a dry place off of the ground while they are waiting to be installed.
Protecting the Brick After Pressure Washing
You want your home to continue to look great for years after we finish washing the outside. That’s understandable. A great way to do that is to seal the bricks after the pressure wash is complete. Sealing the brick will protect it from weathering, moisture intrusion, and damage from UV rays. It will also make the brick surface much easier to clean in the future.
Contact Majestic for Pressure Washing in Dix Hills
If you are in the Dix Hills area, call Majestic at 631-421-2295 during regular business hours, or reach out to our team through our online contact form.