Cleaning Fire & Soot Damaged Brick & Masonry - PART 2

10/13/2020 (Permalink)

SERVPRO of Bartow County is here to help 24/7. Let us make your brick or masonry fire damage "Like it never even happened."

This is a continuation from our previous blog. “Cleaning Fire & Soot Damaged Brick & Masonry - PART 1” that covered one of the other ways SERVPRO of Bartow County cleans and restores fire damaged brick and masonry. The previous method utilized several SERVPRO proprietary cleaning products by taking advantage of their acidic and neutralizing properties. The method we will discuss in this blog utilizes a single SERVPRO product, SERVPRO’s Waterless Masonry Cleaner. 

The Waterless Masonry Cleaner is sprayed, brushed or rolled onto the fire damage brick or masonry area. The application should be very thick. At least a 1/16 of an inch thick. After the Waterless Masonry Cleaner dries it will feel rubbery to the touch and will have bonded with the soot and smoke residue on the surface of the brick or masonry that would be otherwise nearly impossible to remove. Once completely dry the Waterless Masonry Cleaner can be peeled away from the brick and/or masonry work, removing the smoke and soot residue along with it. Warm wet towels can then be used to scrub the surface clean and remove any residual Waterless Masonry Cleaner. 

This method of removing fire and soot damage from brick and masonry requires specific personal protective equipment (PPE) and extensive knowledge and experience working the professional cleaning products and tools utilized in the process. You should never put yourself in harm's way by taking on a restoration project, unless you are properly trained and experienced in the fire restoration field. 

Needed Equipment:

SERVPRO’s Waterless Masonry Cleaner; Brushes; Rollers; for larger areas Airless Sprayer (Must be chemical resistant sprayer; Must be capable of delivering 0.9 gpm or higher; Minimum tip size 0.015 inches or 0.017 inches); towels

Required PPE:

Goggles; Safety Glasses; Chemical Resistant Gloves; Face Shield; Respirator 

How to Remove Soot & Smoke from Brick & Masonry

Masonry Cleaning Technique #2 using Waterless Masonry Cleaner

SURFACE PREPARATION

• MASKING (Use Plastic polyethylene sheets)
• Cover areas where cleaning is not desired, including adjoining surfaces where over spray may travel.
• Plants should be covered before and during application.

• MIXING
• If the product has separated mix with a drill. DO NOT SHAKE OR DILUTE. 

COVERAGE RATE

• Wet film thickness should be 14-28 mils.
• Test thickness with a painters thickness gauge.
• 50-100 ft2 per gallon depending upon application method and surface porosity. 

APPLICATION

• Apply a thick, even layer. Optimal wet film thickness should be 14-28 mils.
• Required thickness may vary.
• If the product is applied too thin, it will be more difficult to remove.
• Do not apply to exterior surfaces if temperature is above 90° F and in direct sunlight 

*Tips on Spray Application 

• Thoroughly vacuum the affected area to remove any dry loose soot first!
• Spray on surfaces that are at 50F or higher. Cold surfaces will prolong the drying out process and it could take much longer to completely dry out to be properly peeled off.
• Do not apply outdoors on surfaces at 90F or in direct sunlight as this will cause the product to over-cure and become very difficult to peel.
• The product will turn from white to a light amber color when it has dried and is ready for peeling. Test a few areas first to insure it is thoroughly dried out and ready to peel before proceeding.
• You can use a brush or roller on smaller surfaces such as fireplaces or statues but use an airless sprayer for optimum application on larger areas. The airless puts down such a nice uniform layer for better peeling.
• Spray at least 1/16" wet layer or you will have problems peeling it. It should peel off in sheets. If sprayed thin you will be picking at it and will need to spray again thicker to remove it better if you do not want to be picking at it. As a rule of thumb a penny is ~1/16th of an inch to the top of Lincoln's head. So insert a penny to insure you have sprayed enough by seeing if the coating is at the top or better of Lincoln' head. They also sell professional depth gauges at any paint or hardware store.
• Clean up is a breeze with water (warm water for faster results). Just run it through the sprayer and other areas.
• Remove over-spray before it dries out with a wet rag.
• Always start the airless sprayer pump at the lowest pressure setting and slowly build up the pressure until an adequate fan pattern has been generated. 
• Build a thick uniform layer to ensure even cleaning and ease of removal 

*Tip for Brush or Roller Application

• Build a thick uniform layer to ensure even cleaning and ease of removal 

DRY TIME

• Let SERVPRO’s Waterless Masonry Cleaner dry for a minimum of 24 hours and no more than 3 days.
• It will be completely dry when it is yellowish in appearance and rubbery to the touch. 

REMOVAL

• Peel the dried Waterless Masonry Cleaner away from the surface as if it were latex paint. It should come off in large pieces.
• Use a damp sponge to wipe the surface clean if necessary. 

CLEAN-UP

• Thoroughly clean sprayer before storage 
• Soak brushes/roller in water overnight 
• DO NOT use paint thinners or solvents

SERVPRO of Bartow County is Bartow County’s Preferred Fire Restoration Company... Don’t Take Our Word For It....

Take a look at what some of our Bartow County customer have to say about their experience working with SERVPRO of Bartow County: Google Reviews, Facebook Reviews, & A+ BBB Accredited Business Reviews

*If you enjoyed this blog check out some of our previous Blogs on Fire Restoration: “Fire Prevention: Not Every Hero Wears a Cape”;”Every Second Counts in a Cartersville House fire”;”Cleaning Smoke and Nicotine Smells From Your Acworth GA Home”; ”10 Helpful Tips for Cleaning Up After a Bartow County Fire”; “SERVPRO of Bartow County | Smoke and Soot Cleanup”; “American Red Cross Fire Fact Sheet”