NOVEMBER 2003

EACO CHEM NEWS

It’s not called the “Windy City” for nothing. And for Midwest Building Restoration of Milwaukee, WI, the challenge of restoring the Pittsfield Building was immense. With 40 stories worth of delicate terra cotta surface to be cleaned and thousands of windows to protect, not to mention the threat of Chicago’s famed high winds directing overspray onto other towering skyscrapers located across the street, the potential for problems was great. That’s when the contractor turned to EaCo Chem’s Glazed Surface Restoration (GSR) product. Specially formulated for glazed brick and terra cotta cleaning, GSR is capable of much broader usage and its clean is essentially equal to any other hydrofluoric-based product. If used properly, it will not etch glass and it can also be used to clean most porous surfaces as well. Since GSR won’t affect glass, the contractors saved thousands of dollars in time and expense associated with covering glass and other sensitive surfaces. In addition, with Chicago’s famed high winds constantly swirling, they didn’t have to worry about overspray affecting the windows or surfaces of nearby buildings. Another benefit of GSR was that it could be applied with a low pressure sprayer and rinsed with a garden hose. This made the historic preservationists happy because it reduced the risk of possible damage to the building’s terra cotta tiles. With the exception of a few heavily crusted areas, the contractor was able to avoid using high pressure sprayers for the cleaning. Most impressive was that each of Midwest Building Restoration’s 2-man crews were able to clean an average of 3,000 square feet of exterior surface each night with exceptional results. For example, as part of the historic restoration process, many pieces of damaged terra cotta needed to be replaced. Yet, when the new terra cotta was placed beside the older, freshly cleaned pieces, it was virtually impossible to tell them apart. (For more information and photos on the Pittsfield Building, please go to www.eacochem.com. For information of any of EaCo Chem’s products, please call 800-313-8505.)

The historic 40-story Pittsfield Building in Chicago is currently in the process of being cleaned with EaCo Chem’s GSR solution. Years of pollutants and stains were easily and cost effectively removed, allowing the building’s delicate terra cotta tiles to shine like new.

As the photo to the left shows, GSR offered several benefits on the historic Pittsfield Building project: 1. Since GSR will not etch glass, none of the building’s windows needed to be covered. That’s a savings of thousands of dollars on projects like this. 2. Notice the new terra cotta tiles on the uncleaned right side of the building. Can you spot the new tiles on the building’s clean left side? 3. GSR is as effective on cleaning ornate parts of the building as it is on the flat surface panels covering the building’s exterior.

Visit EaCo Chem at World of Concrete Show

If you’re planning on attending the World of Concrete Expo in Orlando, Fla. next Feb. 17-20, 2004, stop by the EaCo Chem booth, #9646. Lynn Peden, president of EaCo Chem, will be on hand to answer questions you may have about EaCo Chem’s products or ways to solve problems you’ve experienced on the job. Whether you’re concerned about stopping efflorescence on new masonry construction quickly and easily without removing the cream in the joint or removing copper stains from limestone or cleaning graffiti from just about any surface, Lynn can help you. With more than 25 years of experience in the masonry cleaning business, there are few challenges that Lynn hasn’t come across during his career.

The effect of temperature changes on new masonry cleaning

f you have noticed uneven results while using a new masonry product recently, the cause may be fluctuating temperatures. In the midwest for example, the weather can vary dramatically, from rainy, moderate temperatures in the 70’s to dry, very hot temperatures that occasionally reach 100 degrees. When a building is exposed to elevated temperatures, the surface temperature of the brick increases at a parallel rate. This rate can also increase when the surface is in direct sunlight. Such a change in temperature is relevant because it will increase the evaporation rate caused by the elevated air and surface temperatures. If unaccounted for, this will allow more of the concentrated hydrochloric acid to come in contact with the brick’s surface, burning the glaze. (If this happens, it is likely that the glaze can be restored with NMD 80 and the proper cleaning process.) Extreme cold temperatures can also impact the effectiveness of a new masonry detergent as well. We recommend that new construction buildings should not be cleaned when temperatures drop below freezing. As acid-based compounds approach the freezing point, they tend to become concentrated which may cause an uneven glaze burn. These types of problems, however, can be avoided simply by making a few adjustments in the cleaning process. For example, when cleaning new masonry when temperatures are elevated, we recommend thoroughly pre-wetting the wall or applying the new masonry detergent in a small work area from the bottom up. This allows the water to saturate all the soaped areas quickly and the run off to flow over a cool, freshly rinsed area, minimizing the impact of any extreme temperature changes.