Facade Cleaning

What is a facade?

The façade forms the external weatherproof envelope of a building. In modern buildings, the façade is often attached to the building frame and provides no contribution to structural stability. This type of façade can be referred to as a non-loadbearing vertical building enclosure. Many different types of construction can be used. These include profiled metal sheets, cladding panels or glass and aluminium curtain walling. Each type of façade has advantages and disadvantages. These need to be understood if the façade is to be maintained and risks properly managed

Why should a building’s façade be cleaned?

The issue of aesthetics first comes to mind. A clean building presents a more hospitable front—and therefore a more attractive real estate prospect—to the public. Just as we put our best foot forward with a neat, kempt appearance, a building looks its best when free of the grime, pollutants and staining that shadow its most visible—and often most vulnerable—attribute, its façade. Of course, not all building façades warrant the same amount of care and attention. A building’s location, function, and geographic and atmospheric conditions all play roles in determining the level of cleaning effort necessary to achieve the desired appearance.

Our staff our trained in cleaning different types of surfaces such as glass, plastic, stone, ACP etc.

We can use any of the following methods for window cleaning, depending on the height of your building and availability of rooftop access:

  1.   Rope access cleaning.
  2.   Harness and eye bolts.

For building exteriors of up to 20 meters we can use extension poles for glass cleaning. This is a more cost efficient solution when compared to rope access cleaning or harness and eye bolts. 

Basically, all façade cleaning projects fall into one of four categories: chemical, non-chemical, abrasive and those that may require a combination of these. The building owner and/or manager should consult professionals like us to arrive at the façade cleaning method that is best suited to their building.

Water Cleaning Methods:

  1. Water soaking: It is one of the least intrusive façade cleaning methods A slow, steady stream of water 3 is used to loosen dirt and wash it away, a very effective method as the dirt becomes swollen and soft. A manifold of piping and nozzles is constructed for this purpose. Hand scrubbing with brushes or rinsing with 400 psi (pounds per square inch) water spray may follow the water soaking. 
  2. Pressure Pressure Washing: ashing: Pressurized water, measured in pounds per square inch (psi), blasts contaminants away from the façade. This procedure is effective on stone, masonry and concrete for the removal of light to moderate atmospheric and organic staining. This method utilizing heated water (not to exceed 160 degrees Fahrenheit) may prove effective for removal of grease and oil stains

Chemical cleaning methods:

Manufactured by companies to conquer the “tough” façade stains, chemical cleaning products work by dissolving the stains, allowing them to be rinsed away. Generally, chemical cleaners fall into one of four categories: acidic cleaners, alkaline cleaners, organic solvents, and special nonsudsing detergents. The list of available commercial chemical cleaners for different types of façade surfaces is long and varied: Some are designed to remove efflorescence and salt staining. Others are used primarily to remove excess mortar, grout stains and dirt. Still others are best suited for use on brick that may have high metallic content. There are restoration cleaners designed to combat extremely dirty and heavily carboned masonry typically found in large cities or high pollution areas

Abrasive Cleaning: Of the various methods to clean stone, masonry and concrete, abrasive cleaning is unique in that it is designed to completely remove the outer portion of the substrate on which the stain sits, rather than merely dissolving and washing away the stain. Grit blasting, grinding wheels, sanding disks, sanding belts and wet sandblasting (grit blasting combined with high pressure washing) all fall into the category of abrasive cleaning. New methods, using very small (20- to 100- micron) grit and containment of the cleaning area, are also available.

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