Cob: White crystals> efflorescence

[marksaich]

Further to my earlier message, I have looked in my old college books.
It says don't hose down as this might dissolve the salts which will be
reabsorbed into the wall and leach out again later. (sorry)
It also suggests the problem doesnot persist long (no time period actually
stated)
and that they are relatively harmless.
Mark

----- Original Message -----
From: Charmaine R Taylor <tms at northcoast.com>
To: Rosemary Lyndall Wemm <lyndall at neurognostics.com.au>;
<coblist at deatech.com>
Sent: Monday, May 22, 2000 5:04 PM
Subject: Re: Cob: White crystals> efflorescence


> Rosemary, sounds like efflorescence..a "blooming" of alkali salts on the
> surface due to salts in the concrete blocks, or in the mortar mix, or
landing
> on the wall during rains, with acid rain being the modern culprit. .
> This crystalization takes place when the salts which are soluable  get wet
> and travel to the surface.   I will look up in my techie NLA report and
see
> what it says you can do besides scrubbing.
>
> There is also a bit of information in the All About Lime book, pg 27,
whcih
> you have Rosemary.
>
> Charmaine  Taylor
> PO Box 6985, Eureka CA 95502
> 1-888-441-1632
> http://www.northcoast.com/~tms
> Visit online where you can buy books & videos anytime!
>
> Rosemary Lyndall Wemm wrote:
>
> > Hi All!
> >
> > The rendered foundation boots of my cob shed have patches of white
> > crystaline substance adhering to the surface.  Can anyone tell me what
it
> > is?  The concrete and brick tile surfaces are rendered with a mortor
> > consisting of 6 parts sand: 2 parts red clay [which may have aluminium
in
> > it]: 1 part lime: 1 part grey cement + water to mix.
> >
> > - Rosemary
> >
> >  ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> >  Rosemary LYNDALL WEMM,
> >  B.Mus.(Inst.), T.S.T.C., B.A.(Hons), M.A.(Neuropsych.), etc.  _--_|\
> >  Clinical Neuro-psychologist                             Perth/      \
> >  Perth, Western Australia    lyndall at neurognostics.com.au  -->\_.--._/
> >  ------------------- http://www.neurognostics.com.au ---------------v-
>
>