Sprinker water stains on brick. how to remove?

ONPLS

New member
I have a customer that has asked to remove this staining. This is just one of many spots, about 25 in total. One area at each sprinkler head, it seems much worse in some locations and almost nothing at others. The picture would be one of the worst ones.

When I tried to scratch it with my fingernail nothing happens, it seems rock hard almost the same texture as the brick itself. This is on city water.

My guess is calcium from the water, but i am not totally sure. Any ideas on how to treat this, and approximately the time. Hard water stains..jpg
 
Don't make any promises or guarantees on efflorescence not returning. In most cases,..(At least in my experience),..efflorescence returns in a short time. I recently turned down a job because I didn't want my name on it when the efflorescence returned. Efflorescence removers only removes the surface issue,..seems once efflorescence starts it's never ending.

* The job I turned down was eventually done by an out of town brick restoration company,..looked good for about two weeks,..then started returning in faint patches,..and will eventually be full blown again.

Jeff
 
Good points Jeff. I was thinking the same thing, however since the stain is not coming out of the brick, rather being deposited on the surface via the sprinklers I was hoping that it would come off and stay off for a while at least.

We run into the issue in older parking structures all the time, Moisture is wicking through the concrete and leaving the efflo on the walls. We blast it off and it looks great. The following week it has returned. Half the time our customers think its road salt and complain, thinking we are not doing a thorough job.
 
Good points Jeff. I was thinking the same thing, however since the stain is not coming out of the brick, rather being deposited on the surface via the sprinklers I was hoping that it would come off and stay off for a while at least.

You are correct sir....it will only return as is dependent on much they run the sprinkler.
 
Get them to change the sprinkler head so it does not hit the brick........
 
So I finally started this job. Using F9 calcium and efflo remover.

My steps were
1. Wash wall and rinse well.
2. Apply F9 Calcium at 8-1, it foamed up and I let it sit for 15 minutes.
3. Washed again with ebc and rinsed really well.
4. Applied F9 Calcium at 5-1,washed with ebc and rinsed and dried with leaf blower.

Unfortunately I don't have the pictures loaded, but There was absolutely no difference at all.

Please help if anyone has any ideas. There literally was no change whatsoever.
 
Next time you have issues, text me at 760-774-5306 so I can give you direction while on the job.

You will need to use Efflo straight in this case. If you do a 4:1+ and it doesn't budge, you have more of a calcite composed stain and need to go very strong with product. Just always do a test and make sure you're not etching.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk - now Fr
 
Thanks Craig.

I am heading back tomorrow to give it another try, the customer is fantastic and really wants to do anything that we can, she understands that the results will not be absolute. By the way, I really appreciate the offer to communicate when I am on site. However I am starting tomorrow at 5:00 am Eastern so I doubt you want a 2AM wake up call.

If we are putting this on strait, should I be altering the dwell time or anything else, and should I be using more ebc for neutralization.
Thanks in advance.
 
The white sprinkler markings kind of looks like very thick brick sealer. The brick also looks like a sealer was applied. If the brick was previously seal coated then while still wet or not fully cure the sprinklers may have embedded spray into the coating. Possible double whammy. Maybe look where the brick meets earth for sealer drip marks or ask if it has been sealed. I don't have experience with it but maybe a graffiti removal test spot can eliminate this theory.
 
Hey Guys, I figured Id update this thread to help anybody who might be in the same situation.

We ended up using F9 efflo 1-1 with water from a pump sprayer as per Craigs instruction. Let it dwell 10 minutes and rinsed with ebc downstreamed, Each area took 3 or 4 of these types of application. The end results were pretty good, the areas that were the worst, improved by about 50% the best case was 90%
I think the nature of the stain,being made up of layer upon layer of sediment made it particularly tough.

I have no idea what the minerals were, but this job was a real bear, I don't think I will be getting into any more of these types of restoration jobs as there are too many variables for pricing.
The F9 product did work really well, and you could see it working immediately which was really encouraging, then it dries and you realize its only 20 % better, thus the multiple applications.

Sprinkler stain Befor.jpg
Sprinkler stain Befor.jpg
 

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