What are efflorescences and how can they be removed?

Efflorescences are nothing more than irregular white spots that occur on the facade of buildings due to a humidity problem.

Oliver Thansan
Oliver Thansan
01 September 2023 Friday 17:01
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What are efflorescences and how can they be removed?

Efflorescences are nothing more than irregular white spots that occur on the facade of buildings due to a humidity problem. It is common for them to appear on walls or exterior walls. Efflorescences are formed when the water present in these places evaporates, leaving behind some salts that crystallize and give rise to these characteristic spots.

There are different reasons why they can arise, but it is not just an aesthetic problem as one might think. In fact, it is convenient to eliminate them as soon as possible once detected. The main reason is that efflorescence chemically affects the materials on which it appears. So they will end up damaging the materials of these surfaces, whether it is brick or concrete.

The efflorescences arise because of an evaporation process, however, this does not imply that they appear in all cases. Rather, a series of conditions must be given so that certain surfaces have a greater probability of suffering them.

Fortunately, efflorescences can be easily removed, all they require is time to get rid of them all. It will be enough to get hold of a brush and water to scrape the surface until you can descale them and thus they disappear. Or directly use a specialized product to remove this type of moisture. These techniques take time to be done by hand, but, without a doubt, the fastest way is to use pressurized water.

To prevent that surface, whether it is a wall or an exterior wall, from suffering the same problem again, the ideal would be to apply a protective layer that prevents these problems derived from humidity. This will prevent efflorescence from appearing again. Especially if these spaces have been built using materials that present a high porosity and that, therefore, are especially vulnerable when it comes to suffering these cases of humidity. To avoid this, good insulation will be the main recommendation. As well as trying not to pour on them, or the materials, high alkalinity waters.