Technology and Performance Summary

TECHNOLOGY AND PERFORMANCE SUMMARY

Even latex paints are somewhat vapor permeable. Painted masonry illustrates the problem that occurs with surface coatings. When water vapors are partially blocked, their transmission is slowed down, and some of the vapors are trapped as they attempt to pass through the painted masonry. This causes the vapors to condense behind the paint, causing it to peel off. If vapors cannot freely escape, freeze/thaw and internal water damage is accelerated. Siliconates are caustic solutions that react with carbon dioxide in the atmosphere and will form a silicone resin film when applied to a masonry surface. Siliconates were commonly used in the mid-50's, but because of their tendency to stain, they were replaced by silicone resins. Normally siliconates are not applied to outside walls, but are more widely used as additives to waterglass and paint.

The most common type of products in the blocking hydrophobics classification are silicones. Typical silicone sealers contain about 5% resins. These products are easy to apply, stay clear and do not turn yellow. However, because silicones deposit solids to form a water-resistant film, they trap internal water vapors that leads to spalling, cracked or bulging concrete caused by the corrosion of the steel reinforcement bars within or by freeze/thaw damage. Silicones are short-lived because of exposure to ultraviolet light which breaks down the silicone resins, leaving the surface vulnerable to water penetration and subsequent water damage.

Another category in this classification that should be mentioned is that of the silanes (alkylakoxysilane). Silanes are relatively new to the waterproofing scene. Water repellent products composed of silanes generally contain 20-40% solid particles. Job site testing has revealed that when masonry treated with silanes was subjected to multiple freeze/thaw cycles, serious deterioration occurred. The destructive action that occurs with the usage of silicones and other blocking hydrophobics is well documented.

Architects and masonry professionals recognize that the need to identify and correct the causes of masonry deterioration is further complicated by diverse product offerings. Valerie Slvinsky, a Washington D.C.-based architect specializing in historic preservation, agrees that, "Transparent silicone sealants carry more potential harm than most other waterproofings." She points out that silicones not only trap water inside masonry, but they change the natural matte appearance of the brick.

The Brick Institute of America feels strongly enough about the subject of waterproofing of masonry to issue this statement: "The general recommendation of the Brick Institute of America, based on many years of experience and study, is not to use silicones or other clear penetrating solutions of similar ilk." The group includes stearates, acrylics, polymers, resins, bustles, oils and various other combinations of those mentioned.

Hydrophobic material, like ENVIRO-LOC WATER REPELLENTS, repels water without blocking the pores of the masonry, maintaining 100% vapor permeability, allowing the surface to breathe. Unlike other water repellents, ENVIRO-LOC is activated by exposure to ultraviolet light, not degraded by it.

The active ingredient in ENVIRO-LOC is a modified oligomeric polysiloxane - a proprietary compound with unsurpassed water repellent properties. While other products may claim to consist of this ingredient (there are literally hundreds of ways to modify oligomeric polysiloxane), ENVIRO-LOC WATER REPELLENTS contain the only formula that depends on ultraviolet light to achieve its water repellency. This is an important factor because most other water repellents break down more rapidly with exposure to ultraviolet light.

ENVIRO-LOC allows surfaces to be extremely water repellent for long periods of time. The electrostatic charge on the surface of the masonry is manipulated so that it matches the electrostatic charge of water. This photo-reactive process allows the treated surface to repel water similar to the way two magnets repel each other. In fact, a simple demonstration of one of the unique characteristics of ENVIRO-LOC illustrates this extraordinary technology.

Illustration: If bricks treated with ENVIRO-LOC are stored touching untreated bricks, the electrostatic charge of the treated bricks migrates to the untreated bricks and gives them some water repellent properties. This is comparable to the way a piece of steel will exhibit magnetic properties when it is rubbed with, or comes in contact with, a magnet.