Bynum, AIA,Senior Architects with Hoffmann Architects,oversee
a varietyof faade cleaningprojects for the firm. Richard P. Kadlubowski, AIA and Coleman H.Bynum, AIA Journal of architectural technology published by H offm ann A rchitects, specialists in the rehabilitation of building exteriors. I S S U E 1/ 2 0 0 1 I V O L U M E 1 9 I N U M B E R 1 W W orkers pressure w ash the concrete faade of a corporate office building. >>>> > (continued onpage2) Faade Cleaning: For More Than Appearances Sake hy should a buildings faade be cleaned? The issue of aesthetics first com es to m ind. A fter all,a clean building sim ply looks better than a dirty building. A clean building presents a m ore hospitable frontand therefore a m ore attractive real estate prospectto the public. Just as w e put our best foot forw ard w ith a neat, kem pt appearance,a building looks its best w hen free of the grim e,pollutants and staining that shadow its m ost visibleand often m ost vulnerableattribute,its faade. O f course,not all building faades w arrant the sam e am ount of care and attention. A buildings location,function,and geographic and atm ospheric conditions all play roles in determ ining the level of cleaning effort necessary to achieve the desired appearance. C onsider function: Structures w hich house com m ercial activity,in business, theatre or shopping districts,often w arrant a higher degree of cleanliness than do buildings that house industrialor less publicactivities. A bank building m anager, for exam ple,m ay choose to m aintain an im m aculate faade to greet clients and account holders,w hile a w arehouse ow ner m ay find it understandably unnecessary to achieve the sam e level of cleanliness for his structure. Furtherm ore,if and w hen it is decided a buildings faade w ill be cleaned,it m ay be that only a portionfor instance, that w hich is visible from the sidew alkw ill be cleaned. A skyscraper in M anhattan,for exam ple, m ay be cleaned from the ground to the sixth floors only,lim iting the cleaning effort to that portion of the buildings faade that is visible to bustling com m uters. C leaning the ground floors only is a viable alternative w hen it m ay be costlynot to m ention foolhardy in a pollutant-ridden urban localeto clean a buildings faade com pletely. Finally,w hat it takes to clean a building situated in the country is typically far less an endeavor than if that sam e building w ere located in a m etropolitan area. The rural building m ay w arrant only w ater soaking to rem ove m ild contam inants (such as dirt),w hile the urban building w ould m ost likely require a m ore in-depth cleaning effortto rem ove m ore hazardous pollutantsto achieve the sam e level of cleanliness. W hile aesthetics is the obviousand prim aryreason for cleaning a building faade,the effort to expose the substrate for evaluation and repair runs 2 J O U R N A L (continued frompage1) a close second. It is nearly im possible to gauge the condition of a m asonry substrate, for exam ple, w hen the faade is covered in dirt,grim e and/or a coating. In order to determ ine those areas w hich need to be patched,repaired or resealedor,in som e cases,to even properlyidentify the substratethe faade should be cleaned of any and all elem ents that preclude its proper evaluation. Still another key m otivation behind faade cleaning is the effort to rem ove dam aging pollutants such as sulfur and nitrogen oxides,and other acid rain pollutants,from the faade. These pollutants serve to accelerate faade deterioration. C ase in point:m oisture is the prim ary cause of m asonry decay. W hen m oisture is coupled w ith soluble salts from polluted rainw aters or w ith atm ospheric gases,the decay is accelerated. W hen the soluble salt dissolves in w ater,it travels deep into the m asonry substrate through pores or cracks. O nce the m oisture evaporates,the salt recrystallizes, exerting trem endous pressures w hich break dow n the m asonry from w ithin. A dditionally,atm ospheric gases such as carbon dioxide,sulfur dioxide and nitrogen oxides react w ith dirty,w et surfaces to form corrosive liquids such as carbonic acid,sulfuric acid and nitric acid. These liquids react w ith various elem ents in the m asonry and m ay result in the form ation of hardened surface crusts and dissolution of acid- soluble cem enting binders that hold the m asonry together. The form ation of these dense surface crusts and the w ashing aw ay of acid-soluble binders, if allow ed to persist,are progressive deterioration processes. Lastly,faade cleaning opens a buildings pores and allow s the norm al transpiration of m oisture. M oisture trapped w ithin a m asonry w all,for exam ple, w ill rem ain there if a w aterproofing coating prevents its exit. In this case, as m oisture is the leading cause of m asonry decay,com prehensive faade cleaning to include rem oval of the w aterproofing coating m ay be the key com ponent of the design professionals effort to restore the building. How Clean is Clean Enough? O nce the decision has been m ade to clean a buildings faade,the question of how clean is clean enough?m ay arise. G enerally,the prim ary objective should be to rem ove any and all contam inants from the faade. Beyond this,the question of how clean is clean enough? should be answ ered on a case-by-case basis, w ith the full subjectivity of the building ow ner and/or m anager. In the case of older buildings,how ever, should they be so thoroughly cleaned as to look new ? W ould the Pantheon in Rom e suffer in our m inds eye if its 1800- year history w ere som ew hat forgotten in the gleam of pristinely scrubbed pozzolan 1 concrete? Indeed,m any individuals involved w ith the preservation of historic structures argue that too m uch cleaning strips these buildings of a certain dignity earned w ith the passage of tim e. 2 They assert that the dirt patina represents a natural process of w eathering w hich is of im portant historical significance and in character w ith older buildings view ed in a contem porary setting. 2 H ow ever,the fact rem ains that the accum ulation of surface staining goes far beyond aesthetic deform ation;heavy surface deposits contribute to the progressive decay of stone,m asonry and concrete surfaces. The ow ner,w ith the guidance of the design professional, m ust find a balance for the buildings faade at w hich point it is free of any contam inants that m ay threaten the substrate w hile not so scrubbed as to contradict the structures history. To Clean Before or After Restoration/ Repairs? Still another im portant factor to consider in preparing to clean a building faade is when to do it: before or after repairs and restoration w ork. A s previously m entioned,it can be difficult to detect w hat m ay need to be repaired in a surface w hen it is heavily coated in dirt,stains,paint and/or other coatings. A nd, as it is best to patch/repair a clean, sound surface,it m ay be preferable to clean the faade before any repairs. H ow ever,there are exceptions to this som ew hat loose rule. For exam ple, w hen a stone building has extensive leak problem s,and the design professional m ust coordinate patching and sealant w ork,it m ay very w ell be a m istake to run the risk of even greater w ater intrusion by adding w ater during cleaning to already precarious areas. In these instances,the design professional m ay choose to patch and seal areas of w ater intrusion prior to the com m encem ent of cleaning. Protection Against Damage To ensure a successful faade cleaning project,w hether it be for stone and m asonry,concrete,or alum inum ,it is crucial to choose and im plem ent the m ost appropriate m ethod for the surface. Protection against dam age to personnel,to the building,to the site and to the environm ent should be the forem ost consideration in choosing and im plem enting the cleaning m ethod. 1 pozzolan: The Romans produced lime byburninglimestone pieces. Mixed with volcanic ash (pozzolan) and water,it becomes a mortar. The Romans mixed this mortar with small stones, bricks and other materials to produce concrete. 3 V O L U M E 1 9 I N U M B E R 1 (continued onpage4) Protecting personnel Protecting personnel Protecting personnel Protecting personnel Protecting personnel O f the three general categories of cleaning m ethodschem ical cleaning, w ater cleaning and abrasive cleaning chem ical cleaning packs the highest risk quotient to the individual. The design professional should require as part of the cleaning subm ittals a detailed description of the proposed m aterials and m ethods of protection for preventing harm caused by the cleaning w ork to all persons in the cleaning area. Product data and M aterial Safety D ata Sheets (M SD S) should be subm itted for all recom m ended m aterials and chem ical cleaning products. The persons perform ing the cleaning m ust adhere to the guidelines set forth in a chem icals M SD S to protect against dam age to them selves or the public. A ll precautionary m easures should be read carefully,and first-aid instructionsin case of contact or exposureshould be review ed. These instructions include w hat to do in case of eye contact,skin contact,inhalation and ingestion. A lso included in the M SD S are spill and leak procedures as w ell as guidelines for container handling,storage and shelf life. C hem ical cleaning products are not the only potentially hazardous elem ents to be aw are of during faade cleaning. Bird droppings and other bird-related m atter offer another source of som e very unhealthy effects. A nd,as one can w ell im agine,there is a distinct possibility that one w ill encounter a considerable am ount of bird m atter during faade cleaning. Bird droppings and other bird-related m atter contain substances, including agents of diseases such as Histoplasmosis and Cryptococcosis,that are harm ful and som etim es fatalto hum ans. A ll necessary precautions m ust be taken to prevent w orkers and other people w ithout appropriate protection from touching, ingesting, inhaling or contacting in any other w ay bird-related m atter. Finally,the disposal of such substances m ust com ply w ith applicable federal, state and local law s and regulations. Protecting the building Protecting the building Protecting the building Protecting the building Protecting the building In protecting against dam age to the building during faade cleaning,the design professional should subm it in advance a detailed description,including draw ings and diagram s,of proposed m aterials and m ethods of protection for preventing harm ,dam age or deterioration caused by the cleaning w ork to all building elem ents,m aterials and finishes. To protect surfaces of the building intended to rem ain w ithout cleaning, the design professional instructs the contractor as to the specified protection m aterials to protect all glass,m etal,w ood and/or painted surfaces that should not be affected during m asonry cleaning,for exam ple. These specified protection m aterials m ay include m asking products that are som etim es part of a m anufacturers chem ical cleaning system . A dditionally,all w indow s and doors and other existing openings should be tem porarily sealed to prevent liquid and particulate entry. A gain,m aterials used to do this m ust be those specified by the design professional. W indow and door hardw are should be checked for operability at the conclusion of the w ork. Test cleaning a patch of the faade is a critical elem ent of the faade cleaning process.It is essential not only in ensuring that the cleaning effort w ill have the desired results but also in ensuring that the chosen m ethod w ill not dam age the faade. Prior to initiating a full m asonry cleaning project,for exam ple, test cleaning should be conducted for 100 square feet for each substrate and for each cleaning m ethod specified. Full cleaning should not proceed until the test patch has been review ed and accepted by the design professional and the building ow ner. Prior to test cleaning,it m ust be assured that the w ork of other trades that m ight affect the cleaning w ork is fully com plete. C leaning should not com m ence until all other w ork has ceased. W hen perform ing the test patch,only the cleaning m ethods specified by the design professional for each type of m aterial and location should be used. Each cleaning m ethod indicated should be perform ed in a m anner w hich results in uniform coverage of all surfaces, 2 Boyer,David.W., Author,MasonryCleaning-The State of the Art,CleaningStone and Masonry. 1986. End of a copper joint cover is open in a joint in a projecting course. Points of w ater infiltration that should be repaired prior to faade cleaning: Lead joint cover has been pushed out of the joint. C aulking in joint is brittle and not bonded to the stone. >> >>> >> >>> 4 J O U R N A L including corners and m oldings,and w hich produces an even effect w ithout streaking or dam age to the surface. Finally,planning around M other N ature is essential in protecting against dam age to the building during faade cleaning. The w eather can m ake or break a faade cleaning project. If it is too cold, liquid cleaning products and w ater w ill freeze to sheets of ice. C onversely,if it is too w arm ,a chem ical products drying tim e m ay accelerate,so it m ay not have tim e to w ork as it should and m ay not w ash off properly. Furtherm ore,w ind m ay cause additional problem s w ith vapor and overspray. The design professional should specify stipulations on how to w ork around the w eather prior to com m encem ent of the faade cleaning project (i.e., A cleaning specification m ay require that m asonry cleaning w ork not be perform ed w hen tem peratures m ay drop below 50 degrees-or soar above 90 degrees-Fahrenheit w ithin 24 hours of the w ork.). Protecting the site Protecting the site Protecting the site Protecting the site Protecting the site To protect the site during faade cleaning,plans m ust be im plem ented to confine dust,liquids,overspray and debris to prevent detrim ental effects to adjacent properties and to the public. Tem porary protection such as barriers, enclosures, netting or other protection as needed should be provided and erected to prevent harm to personnel and adjacent portions of the building. O nce the w ork of the cleaning operations has ceased,all tem porary protection should be rem oved. Furtherm ore,the design professional should ensure m inim um interference w ith streets, w alks and other adjacent facilities. For exam ple,the flow of w ater from soaking and cleaning operations should be continuously m onitored to avoid dam age to the building and surrounding areas,and excessive am ounts of w ater should not be perm itted to flow across w alkw ays. A lso, plyw ood trafficw ays m ay be necessary for all surfaces such as roofs or terraces that w ill receive pedestrian traffic during cleaning. The plyw ood should be free of splinters,fasteners and any other irregularities that m ay dam age the existing surface. Protecting the en Protecting the en Protecting the en Protecting the en Protecting the environment vironment vironment vironment vironment The design professional should plan in advance any necessary precautions to prevent hazardous m aterial from entering the environm ent. A ll m eans necessary should be utilized to prevent contam inated w ater,chem icals,chem ical fum es and abrasive particles from flow ing into drains or entering air intakes and exhausts. Protection and w aste collection system s should be in place before general cleaning begins. To prevent cleaning chem icals or particles of dirt or m ortar from flow ing into drains,for exam ple,the design professional m ay instruct that appropriate precautions be taken. CleaningStone, Masonry and Architectural Concrete Basically,all faade cleaning projects fall into one of four categories: chem ical, non-chem ical,abrasive and those that m ay require a com bination of these m ethods. For exam ple,though a W ater soaking is one of the least intrusive faade cleaning m ethods: (Left) W ater-soaking nozzles assem bled to clean a lim estone faade. (Below) A w orker scrubs and rem oves softened soil from the w ater-soaked lim estone faade. >> >> > >>>> > (continued frompage3) 5 V O L U M E 1 9 I N U M B E R 1 (continued onpage7) m asonry faade cleaning project m ay partially succeed w ith a non-chem ical w ater soaking procedure to loosen dirt and w ash it aw ay,it m ay be necessary to supplem ent this m ethod w ith an appropriate cleaning agent (chem ical) to treat areas of heavy stains. The building ow ner and/or m anager should consult w ith the design professional to arrive at the faade cleaning m ethod that is best suited to their building. W WW WWater cleaning methods ater cleaning methods ater cleaning methods ater cleaning methods ater cleaning methods W WW WW ater Soaking: ater Soaking: ater Soaking: ater Soaking: ater Soaking: A slow,steady stream of w ater 3 is used to loosen dirt and w ash it aw ay,a very effective m ethod as the dirt becom es sw ollen and soft. A m anifold of piping and nozzles is constructed for this purpose. H and scrubbing w ith brushes or rinsing w ith 400 psi (pounds per square inch) w ater spray m ay follow the w ater soaking. For each w ater soaking faade cleaning project,the design professional determ ines the appropriate: a) duration of soaking (in hours); b) num ber of gallons of w ater per m inute per nozzle;and c) nozzle spacing. This m ethod is very effective on stone, especially lim estone,and glazed brick. H ow ever,there are possible lim itations related to this procedureas there are w ith any procedurethat m ust be taken into consideration: Prolonged exposure results in oxidation of natural com ponents of m asonry and transports harm ful salts deep into the m asonry. Saturated m asonry takes several w eeks to dry. C leaning of the m asonry faade m ust be scheduled for tim es w hen there is no threat of freezing. C ontinuous cascading of w ater results in erosion. There exists the possibility that interior surfaces, furnishings and equipm ent m ay be dam aged. W ater run-off m ust be controlled. Pressure Pressure Pressure Pressure Pressure W WW WW ashing: ashing: ashing: ashing: ashing: Pressurized w ater, m easured in pounds per square inch (psi),blasts contam inants aw ay from the faade. This procedure is effective on stone,m asonry and concrete for the rem oval of light to m oderate atm ospheric and organic staining. This m ethod utilizing heated w ater (not to exceed 160 degrees Fahrenheit) m ay prove effective for rem oval of grease and oil stains. Som etim es referred to as pow er w ashing,pressure w ashing is specified by the design professional according to four param eters: a) pressure rating (psi); b) w ater flow rate; c) spray tip (type and size);and d) distance from the substrate. Lim itations associated w ith this procedure are as follow s: Pressure w ashing alone w ill not rem ove severe staining. H igh pressures are abrasive and m ay partially rem ove m ortar and etch stone. O xidation of m asonry m ay result. Saturated m asonry takes several w eeks to dry. C leaning m ust be scheduled w hen there is no threat of freezing. W ater m ay find its w ay through sm all openings and cause prem ature decay. W ater run-off m ust be controlled. This m ethod is not a replacem ent for hand labor. This m ethod should N O T be used to apply chem ical cleaners,as the chem icals w ill be driven deep into the m asonry. Chemical cleaning methods Chemical cleaning methods Chemical cleaning methods Chemical cleaning methods Chemical cleaning methods M anufactured by com panies to conquer the toughfaade stains,chem ical cleaning products w ork by dissolving the stains,allow ing them to be rinsed aw ay. G enerally,chem ical cleaners fall into one of four categories: acidic cleaners,alkaline cleaners,organic solvents,and special non- sudsingdetergents. The list of available com m ercial chem ical cleaners for different types of faade surfaces is long and varied: Som e are designed to rem ove efflorescence and salt staining. O thers are used prim arily to rem ove excess m ortar,grout stains and dirt. Still others are best suited for use on brick that m ay have high m etallic content. There are restoration cleaners designed to com bat extrem ely dirty and heavily carboned m asonry typically found in large cities or high pollution areas. C om m ercial poultices,designed for areas in w hich the contam inant has penetrated into the substrate,as opposed to being on the surface,are available for different types of surfaces. Strippable m asking m aterials are available to protect glass,m etal and polished stone surfaces from the dam aging effects of acidic brick cleaners. A s is evidenced by the aforem entioned exam ples, chem ical products are 3 Water for faade cleaningshould be fromthe municipal water supplyand clean at the time of use. In some cases,the water used for cleaning buildingfaades mayneed to be pre-treated with an ion-exchange water softeningsystemin order to avoid staining,efflorescence and other problems. 6 J O U R N A L Radio City Music Hall at Rockefeller Center N ew York,N ew York (Rockefeller C enter M anagem ent C orporation) Our Lady of Angels Motherhouse and Chapel Enfield,C onnecticut. Faade C leaning Faade C leaning Faade C leaning Faade C leaning Faade C leaning H offm ann A rchitects has developed and im plem ented faade cleaning program s for a num ber of its clients. The follow ing narratives briefly discuss the diverse plans prepared for som e of these clients. Rock Rock Rock Rock Rockef ef ef ef efeller C enter eller C enter eller C enter eller C enter eller C enter N ew York,N ew York (Rockefeller C enter M anagem ent C orporation) A s part of an overall rehabilitation plan, the design professionals of H offm ann A rchitects im plem ented w ater soaking follow ed by scrubbing w ith brushes to clean the Indiana Lim estone faades of the landm ark Rockefeller C enter com plex.The w ater soaking,w hich did not threaten to etch the stone,w as initiated after repairs so as not to allow w ater to enter open joints. A bsolutely no chem icals w ere used during the cleaning process. H offm ann A rchitects scheduled the cleaning w ork so as not to im pede the pedestrian traffic along the busy block that lies betw een N ew York C itys 5th and 6th Avenues and 48th and 51st Streetsand so that w ater runoff did not pose any problem s. M ost of the cleaning w ork w as therefore com pleted during the night w hen relatively few people w ere in the area. Souther Souther Souther Souther Southern N ew England n N ew England n N ew England n N ew England n N ew England T TT TTelephone elephone elephone elephone elephone (SN ET) (SN ET) (SN ET) (SN ET) (SN ET) H artford,C onnecticut H offm ann A rchitects initiated a repair and cleaning effort to rehabilitate the lim estone faades at SN ETs H artford facility. A com bination of chem ical and non- chem ical m ethods w as used to achieve the desired cleaning results for the structure. The cleaning effort began w ith long periods of w ater soaking (12- to 24-hour soaks) follow ed by scrubbing w ith clean, natural bristle brushes to rem ove H offm ann A rchitects cleaned the facades of existing w ater repellents to enable the brickw ork to breathe. >> >>> >> >>> V O L U M E 1 9 I N U M B E R 1 7 (continued onpage8) (continued frompage5) C hr C hr C hr C hr C hrysler Building ysler Building ysler Building ysler Building ysler Building N ew York,N ew York 250 Broadw a 250 Broadw a 250 Broadw a 250 Broadw a 250 Broadw ay yy yy N ew York,N ew York stains. Lastly,a chem ical cleaning product w as used to rem ove heavy stains. The Pr The Pr The Pr The Pr The Prudential Insur udential Insur udential Insur udential Insur udential Insurance C om pan ance C om pan ance C om pan ance C om pan ance C om pany yy yy of of of of of A m er A m er A m er A m er A m erica ica ica ica ica Easter Easter Easter Easter Eastern O per n O per n O per n O per n O perations O ff ations O ff ations O ff ations O ff ations O ffice ice ice ice ice D resher,Pennsylvania A s part of a com prehensive restora- tion effort,H offm ann A rchitects im plem ented a plan to clean the concrete faades of Prudentials Eastern O perations O ffice. N o chem icals w ere used during the cleaning process. To ensure successful results during pressure w ashing of the facade,consistent param etersfor type and size of tip,pressure rating (psi),w ater flow rate and distance from the substratew ere m aintained from the beginning to the end of the project. C hase M anhattan C entre C hase M anhattan C entre C hase M anhattan C entre C hase M anhattan C entre C hase M anhattan C entre 1201 M arket Street W ilm ington, D E H offm ann A rchitects utilized a com bination of m ethods to clean the polished granite and concrete facades of C hase M anhattans one-block-square office com plex. Both the polished granite w ater table and the concrete faades w ere w ater soaked for 12- to 24-hour periods. The w ater table w as further low - pressure w ashed at tw o to four hundred psi. A reas of heavy stains such as the concrete above the loading dock that carried the exhaust from countless trucksw ere treated w ith a chem ical cleaning agent. V VV VVassar C ollege assar C ollege assar C ollege assar C ollege assar C ollege V VV VVassar O bser assar O bser assar O bser assar O bser assar O bservator vator vator vator vatory yy yy Poughkeepsie,N ew York C ongregation Rodeph Sholom C ongregation Rodeph Sholom C ongregation Rodeph Sholom C ongregation Rodeph Sholom C ongregation Rodeph Sholom Bridgeport,C onnecticut N ew N ew N ew N ew N ew Y YY YYor or or or ork Stock Exchange k Stock Exchange k Stock Exchange k Stock Exchange k Stock Exchange N ew York,N ew York V VV VVer er er er eriz iz iz iz izon C om m on C om m on C om m on C om m on C om m unications unications unications unications unications N ew York,N ew York X ero X ero X ero X ero X erox C or x C or x C or x C or x C orpor por por por poration ation ation ation ation C or C or C or C or C orpor por por por porate H eadquar ate H eadquar ate H eadquar ate H eadquar ate H eadquarter ter ter ter ters ss ss Stam ford,C onnecticut X ero X ero X ero X ero X erox D ocum ent U niv x D ocum ent U niv x D ocum ent U niv x D ocum ent U niv x D ocum ent U niver er er er ersity sity sity sity sity Leesburg,Virginia U nited States C apitol U nited States C apitol U nited States C apitol U nited States C apitol U nited States C apitol W ashington,D istrict of C olum bia (The A rchitect of the C apitol) Fred French Building Fred French Building Fred French Building Fred French Building Fred French Building 551 Fifth Avenue N ew York,N ew York (M etropolitan Life Insurance C om pany) O ur Lady of O ur Lady of O ur Lady of O ur Lady of O ur Lady of A ngels M otherhouse and A ngels M otherhouse and A ngels M otherhouse and A ngels M otherhouse and A ngels M otherhouse and C hapel C hapel C hapel C hapel C hapel Enfield,C onnecticut (Felician Sisters of the O rder of St. Francis) M etLife Building M etLife Building M etLife Building M etLife Building M etLife Building N ew York,N ew York (M etropolitan Life Insurance C om pany) Handling of cleaning wastewater Handling of cleaning wastewater Handling of cleaning wastewater Handling of cleaning wastewater Handling of cleaning wastewater The runoff from chem ical cleaning and rinsing operations falls into three categories: non-hazardous w astew ater, acidic/alkaline w astew ater that can be neutralized on site,and w astew ater classified as special or hazardous w aste. N on-hazardous w astew ater m ay be released to sanitary sew ers,storm sew ers,or by soaking into the ground. A cidic/alkaline w astew ater m ust be contained and neutralized prior to release to sanitary sew ersit should never be released to storm sew ers per Environm ental Protection A gency (EPA ) regulations;the design professional should verify in advance the industrial w astew ater pretreatm ent program of the m unicipality. H azardous w astew ater that contains com pounds such as m ethylene chloride (a paint stripper) m ust be contained, pum ped into storage tanks and taken to a licensed Transport,Storage and D isposal (TSD ) facility. Abr Abr Abr Abr Abrasive cleaning methods asive cleaning methods asive cleaning methods asive cleaning methods asive cleaning methods O f the various m ethods to clean stone, m asonry and concrete,abrasive cleaning is unique in that it is designed to com pletely rem ove the outer portion of the substrate on w hich the stain sits, rather than m erely dissolving and w ashing aw ay the stain. For this reason, m anufacturers guidelines outlined in the M aterial Safety D ata Sheets w hen im plem enting a chem ical faade cleaning m ethod. H andling and storage,clean-up and disposal,and safety and first-aid inform ation should be review ed in advance. Other F Other F Other F Other F Other Faade Cleaning Projects: aade Cleaning Projects: aade Cleaning Projects: aade Cleaning Projects: aade Cleaning Projects: The H ar The H ar The H ar The H ar The H artf tf tf tf tford Insur ord Insur ord Insur ord Insur ord Insurance C om pan ance C om pan ance C om pan ance C om pan ance C om pany yy yy C or C or C or C or C orpor por por por porate H eadquar ate H eadquar ate H eadquar ate H eadquar ate H eadquarter ter ter ter ters ss ss H artford,C onnecticut M attatuck M useum M attatuck M useum M attatuck M useum M attatuck M useum M attatuck M useum (Bank of Boston Building) (Bank of Boston Building) (Bank of Boston Building) (Bank of Boston Building) (Bank of Boston Building) W aterbury,C onnecticut num erous and designed to solve a variety of cleaning issues. It is essential to follow the design professionals guidelines set forth in the subm ittals and the 432 W ashington Avenue N orth H aven,C onnecticut 06473 A D D RESS SERVIC E REQ U ESTED JOURNAL is a publication of H offm ann A rchitects, specialists in the rehabilitation of building exteriors. The firm s w ork includes investigative and rehabilitative architecture/engineering services for the analysis and resolution of problem s w ithin roofs,facades,glazing,and structural system s of existing buildings,plazas/ terraces,and parking garages. Please send new s,technical inform ation, address changes,or requests for free subscriptions to Editor,H offm ann A rchitects JOURNAL,432 W ashington Avenue,N orth H aven,C onnecticut 06473.For answ ers to specific questions or for inform ation on the services H offm ann A rchitects offers,please contact Sandra M atheny at (203) 239-6660. 432 W ashington Avenue N orth H aven C T 06473-1309 203 239-6660 500 Fifth Avenue,Suite 830 N ew York N Y 10110-0899 212 789-9915 1001 C onnecticut Avenue N W W ashington D C 20036-5525 202 530-1100 For more information on the topics discussed in this article, visit us on the web at www.hoffmannarchitects.com, or contact us at email@hoffmannarchitects.com. Editor:M aryellen A pelquist G raphic Services:M aryellen A pelquist PRSRT STD U .S.PO STAG E PA ID PERM IT N O .1090 N EW H AVEN ,C T J O U R N A L (continued frompage7) intrusive to the substrate. W hile abrasive cleaning m ethods are effective in rem oving a variety of surface stains, the lim itations associ- ated w ith the various techniques are num erous: Rem oval of m asonry surface exposes a softer substrate to m ore rapid deterioration. A brasive cleaning techniques are ineffective in rem oval of subsurface staining. The significant am ount of dust created by abrasive techniques m akes the m onitoring of progress difficult. A irborne silica dust present safety hazards;sandblasting is banned in m any m unicipalities. A brasive cleaning opens the surface area of the treated substrate to atm ospheric corrosion, w ater CleaningAluminum C leaning architectural alum inum is a relatively sim ple process. A s the strength and durability of alum inum is not m aterially affected by dirt or oxidation, cleaning is generally necessary only as an aesthetic m easure. Therefore,the frequency of cleaning is prim arily determ ined by the desired appearance of the structure. O ther m aintenance w ith w hich alum inum cleaning m ay be conveniently com bined and local atm ospheric conditions also play roles in determ ining the frequency of alum inum faade cleaning. M ild cleaners,solvent and em ulsion cleaners, abrasive and etching cleaners, steam cleaners and pow er-driven brushes are am ong the m ethods used to clean alum inum faades. The building ow ner and/or m anager should consult w ith the design professional to arrive at the alum inum faade cleaning m ethod that is best suited to their building. C leaner concentration and application tim e instructions,as w ell as the m anufacturers safety precautions,should be follow ed carefully to ensure a safe and effective faade cleaning project. recom m ended for restorative facade cleaning projects. G rit blasting, grinding w heels,sanding disks,sanding belts and w et sandblasting (grit blasting com bined w ith high pressure w ashing) all fall into the category of abrasive cleaning. N ew m ethods, using very sm all (20- to 100- m icron) grit and containm ent of the cleaning area,are available w hich are far less absorption and other decay processes. G rit blasting m ay increase the need for repointing. abrasive cleaning is generally not