Masonry Magazine July 2006 Page. 41
"If chemicals are not applied consistently, the outcome won't be consistent." Randy Weil, Kem-O-Kleen
"There are three things to consider when thinking about cleaning equipment for restoration: ability to adjust water pressure, ability to control the delivery of chemicals and speed," he said. "The ability to control the water pressure is important because materials vary job to job. Softer brick and stone will tolerate less water pressure than harder materials. Hot water will clean better because it will activate the chemicals and because it will dry faster, allowing less absorption into the brick and stone.
"If chemicals are not applied consistently, the outcome won't be consistent," he continued. "Two problems need to be addressed in chemical delivery: consistent dilution prior to application and consistent application. Typically, chemical delivery is accomplished by brush-and-bucket, garden-type sprayer, or automated spray systems. The first method, brush-and-bucket, has risks in the consistency of chemical dilution bucket to bucket, and that is further compounded by the risk of uneven application with the brush. Garden sprayers are better, but still present some application risk as pressure drops and is then restored.
"The best solution for consistent application is an automated spray system capable of handling strong acidic chemicals. These systems have the benefit of mixing large quantities (20 gallons) of chemical in the proper dilution, and maintaining consistent pressure as the chemical is applied. This type of automated spraying system is standard with washers made specifically for cleaning masonry."
Speed is important for several reasons, with the most obvious being minimizing job costs.
"Fast machines do not fatigue the operator and let you be more productive and profitable," Weil said. "Automation also
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