Preventing Efflorescence – Fairdale, IL 60146

Being familiar with Concrete Efflorescence How It Results In Ugly Foundation Walls

At Permaseal, we all answer client queries about concrete issues every single day. Probably the most common, and most perplexing for homeowners, is exactly what they ought to do once they find layers of white-colored, flaky deposits on their basement wall surfaces. This particular powder is very popular on concrete surfaces -- specifically in cellars and crawl spaces -- and is called efflorescence.

What Can Cause Efflorescence?

Concrete is a permeable material -- and it has been since the day it dried. As a result, it is going to take moisture from the soil outdoors, steadily releasing some of this moisture into your home. This really is one of the primary reasons that basements are notoriously damp, humid spaces.

As this moisture passes through your cement, it brings a little percentage of minerals from the earth outside the house in conjunction with it, along with the lime in the concrete itself. When it evaporates into your cellar, it simply leaves these types of minerals behind. Over time, they create the white-colored, flaky dust that you find on your wall surfaces right now.

Cleaning up Efflorescence from Basement Walls

There are many products currently available that are especially designed for removing unsightly stains from concrete walls and floors. One good way to remove efflorescence will be to rent a pressure washer from a local hardware store and to blend it with these kinds of chemicals to effectively blast efflorescence off the cement.

For a more economical solution, however, you could substitute these custom chemicals using a solution of chlorine bleach. Combined with a power washer, pressure washer, or simply by applying with a scrub brush and some hard work, you should be able to clean off the majority of efflorescence issues.

Phosphoric acid can also be used to not only eliminate efflorescence powder but also rust, grime, stains, and hard water build up. Even so, phosphoric acid, as well as other acids, should be used very carefully and with great care.

Shielding Your Basement from Efflorescence

At Permaseal, we suggest protecting your concrete areas from efflorescence before an issue arises. Having said that, if you clean already damaged cement, protection can be applied after.

Our recommended way to prevent efflorescence is by sealing your cement walls with a concrete sealer. The product works deep in the pores of your cement walls and floor surfaces to create a glass-like silicate bond in the concrete.

This barrier prevents the movement of moisture through the basement walls and floors, protecting your cellar from both efflorescence and also the water vapor transmission associated with basement humidity.

Concrete treatments can be applied as a spray, roller, paint brush, or any other ways, and it dries in 2-4 hours. It is safe for inside use in addition to outdoor usage, and can protect your basement in a lot of ways.