White stuff coming out of bricks?

Question

My dad washed the brick wall at the back of our house and then built a new room around it. White stuff that looks like small, hard snow crystals has been coming out of the bricks (I'm assuming it's lime). Is it safe, considering it's now indoors, and how can I get rid of it? Thanks!!

Answer 1

It's called effervesence (sp?) and is not harmful. I used a wire brush to remove it. Wear a dust mask if you do this though.

Answer 2

Yes, it is lime-like, comes down the bricks as a result of the water on it. Not a big deal.

What CAN pose a health risk is some cleaners used for this. I've found that acid wash (available at lowes, home depot, etc.) for the brick is the best way to get it off, but the type to be used inside MUST be A phosphoric acid masonry cleaner for health protection.

Answer 3

VOTE for Tetanus Tim, he's the main superb suited. as a results of fact the bricks are already crumbling, its no longer type new shape. there's a water situation there the place it somewhat is taking place. once you replace the bricks, you ought to handle the subject, the source of the water, in view which you ought to objective to maintain your bricks dry many of the time, extraordinarily interior the iciness and spring and fall while nights are freezing, and daylight hours no longer freezing. In previous brick partitions Efflourescence is barely a symptom of a water situation. Bricks "Spalling" (crumbling or flaking off) comes from "Freezing and Thawing" of that water content fabric, and is the suited water injury, the suited enemy of bricks, possibly the only enemy of bricks. Water getting onto / into the bricks interior the chilly months, is the source of the subject. discover out the source of that water, redirect it to maintain it off the bricks. perchance the evestroughs are clogged and overflowing, perchance the soil or floor floor point exchange into raised so the bricks are absorbing moisture from soil, perchance a pipe exchange into leaking, perchance somebody is shovelling snow against the brick wall (and the snow melts into the bricks then freezes in a single day). you would be able to desire to stay away from water getting onto the hot bricks, or you would be able to desire to apply very severe density, "frost-evidence" bricks to interchange those ones, in case you choose lasting toughness in that spot. In situations of type new shape, efflourescence is purely the surplus salts, calcium-carbonate, leaching to the exterior, and that's washed off and after a million/2 3 hundred and sixty 5 days quit appearing anymore.