Brick effloresence

I am going to paint some exterior brick on my house, ive cleaned the white efflorence area 3 times with full strength Muriatic acid, I wet it, let it sit a few minutes, scrub then wash and the next day its grown back severly, maybe 1/16". There are no visable leaks on the inside of that wall section. I thought to have effloresence you had to have an active leak or wet brick, is this my problem that I do in fact have moisture still pushing out, or is there another cause and a better way to clean it.

Reply to
ransley
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There was a thread here a few months back that might contain some useful information. That white residue can be caused by two different things, spelled somewhat alike with two different cause and cures. I would not stand a snowballs chance of correctly spelling either of them but maybe this post will prompt someone who can. :)

Colbyt

Reply to
Colbyt

'round here I call it "effervescence"*. Minerals leach into the cinder blocks walls. When it rains, is becomes more obvious. Lake Mead has mineral bath tub ring around it.

I use vinegar and wash it down. You could also use a power washer on the brick. If it is wet, you will see more leaching of the mineral. I haven't went so far as to use Muriatic acid.

2 cents!
  • "Main Entry: effervescence Part of Speech: noun Definition: fizz, foam Synonyms: bubbles, bubbling, ebullition, ferment, fermentation, froth, frothing, sparkle..."
Reply to
Oren

I think I need a new moisture meter, my last one got legs and left me, im thinking it has to be internal moisture. I get the the stuff removed alright so a power washer wont do more, but it grows right back in 12 hours

Reply to
ransley

Is this a real brick wall, or the modern brick veneer sitting on a foundation ledge, with a half-inch airspace between it and the tarpaper? You said the wall is dry inside the house, so I suspect the latter. Sounds like you have a water leak high on the wall, keeping the brick wet. Are the weep holes at the bottom of the wall clear? Run a hose on the wall from top to bottom, and see what it looks like the next day. Note that a roof or gutter board or fly rafter leak can travel along soffit and run down the wall. They can be a real PITA to track down sometimes. An ice pick poked into the wood trim above the suspected wet area is a quick way to check for mushy wood. It can be something as simple as failed caulking in an end joint between two pieces of wood trim.

Having said all that, why are you painting brick? Sorta defeats the purpose of having brick, IMHO. Only reason I would ever paint brick is to buy a few extra years from a failing wall. (Like on an old building where they cheaped out and used soft brick on the alley side, etc.)

Reply to
aemeijers

We have some efflorescence in some of the stone on hour house. It's apparently a surface issue because it's only one type of the "stone".

Agreed. Painted brick looks like hell.

Reply to
krw

Does the brick touch the ground, like say, a block wall? Is there an irrigation line in the vicinity? I asked my neighbor to move his drip irrigation back from the wall. Drip lines are supposed to be at least three feet way from block walls. With frequent watering of plants, etc., the walls still have moisture and minerals leaching in.

We have really hard water. Hardest in the country as best I can tell. So the minerals leach even into concrete driveways.

Reply to
Oren

Its real brick not veneer, behind that area is a HW radiator pipe and above a exterior kitchen air vent for the stove , the leak- effloresence is only in an area in the botton 20% of the wall not running high, Its a stone house on the main walls I guess it would be called veneer, this back wall I believe was done in construction brick but not stone covered as a last minute way for the person having it built to save money so Im painting the back to match the Lime Stone of the rest but as you are thinking its a leak, but my boiler looses no water, wall paper inside is fine with no evidence of moisture. I had my moisture meter stolen so its time to get another one.

Reply to
ransley

Not is the brick is construction brick which the builder didnt even attempt to match the Lime Stone, the paint looks 10x better, it matches in color now, picture dark, cheap construction grade brick, against Limestone, that just dosnt work

Reply to
ransley

No actualy the brick area is over a window well and the leak- effloerecense is 2 ft up and only goes up 4 ft more on a 2 storey so im guessing the vent lets in water or the radiator pipe, but boiler water is always stable. I guess everyone thinks its an active leak keeping it wet. Time for a new moisture meter to do some tracing

Reply to
ransley

Painted brick looks worse, IMO.

Reply to
krw

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