Masonry Magazine July 2006 Page. 40
CLEANING EQUIPMENT
for applying chemicals because you would cause such deep penetration with the chemicals that you'll never be able to get them washed out thoroughly."
Hoefer agreed, "If you are going to use chemical solutions, we recommend injecting those solutions on a low pressure basis. This allows the solution time to work. There are a couple things to remember when using solutions. First, make sure the solution you are using is pressure washer safe; most solutions will say whether they are or not. If the solution is not pressure washer safe, you can apply it with a separate low-pressure sprayer. Another thing to remember when using solutions for cleaning is to make sure the solutions are safe for the area you are cleaning."
Diedrich feels high-pressure equipment for applying chemicals with water are good for truck washing and maybe for removing grease off floors, but not for new masonry or building restoration cleaning. "Because you're spraying acids at 2,000 psi, those acids go so deep into the work that you can never neutralize them and they will remain dormant until activated by some other contaminants and they'll come out as a brown caramelized iron stain. We recommend a unit that sprays at 50 psi, which is the limit most brick manufacturers use when they put out specifications they don't want to see these acids or cleaners applied with deep penetration."
That's a very low pressure, and few companies make commercial or professional-grade washers at that rating. However, one
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that does is Restoration Direct, located in Harrisburg, Pa. Robert Port, vice president of engineering, explained, "Contractors love our air-powered Cobra sprayers. They are operator adjustable from 20 to 90 psi, so you don't waste chemicals or have too deep a penetration into the masonry. We fit the sprayers with either single or dual pumps, the second pump is really just for backup, although few have been needed since the pumps are so durable. Two operators can use one pump for even faster work."
"By using the variable output nozzle, you can spray one quart to three gallons per minute," he continued. "And the operator can use the sprayer up to 10 stories without moving the unit from the ground."
Pressure, Volume and Speed
GOING INTO MORE DETAIL is Randy Weil, president of Kem-O-Kleen in Denver.