What is Efflorescence ?
Efflorescence is the white salty deposit sometimes seen on bricks.
What causes Efflorescence ?
For efflorescence to occur, three conditions MUST exist:
- There must be salts present somewhere in the wall, either in the bricks themselves or the cement
- There must be sufficient moisture present in the wall to solubilise the salts
- There must be a path for the soluble salts to migrate through, to the surface of the brick where the moisture can evaporate
If one of the above conditions doesn't exist then efflorescence cannot occur
Can Biostrip cause efflorescence ?
Biostrip is a water based technology and as such, if conditions 1 and 3 are present then there is a potential for efflorescence to occur. The potential for this to happen can be reduced by carrying out stripping in late spring or summer when the weather is warmer. Efflorescence is more prevalent in colder weather.
It should be noted however that efflorescence is quite harmless. It can often be removed by brushing, although avoid a wire brush as this can damage the bricks or mortar. Some websites recommend use of a phosphoric acid based cleaner followed by a neutralisation stage using an alkaline detergent
