You might not realise but buildings build up dirt and grime over time and like anything else, can have their appearance greatly improved with a clean. So, what makes a building dirty?
Ever since the Industrial Revolution, our town and city buildings have been subjected to the fallout from air pollution resulting in damage and degradation. Pollutants that fill the air, such as nitrogen oxides and sulphur dioxide, lead to the formation of acid rain. Caused by the burning of fuels such as coal and oil, they can have a big impact on the surface of buildings when left to build up over many years. To find out about a Land Remediation Service, go to soilfix.co.uk/
Unfortunately, it seems that since levels of these pollutants have dropped, our ancient stone buildings are still showing signs of degradation. This is caused by the fact that all the excess sulphur created since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution has permanently changed the stone surface of buildings. As rain water washes away the layers that have been sulphated, the exposed limestone begins to dissolve.
There are many types of material that are susceptible to acid damage, as in fact most materials are. There are some building materials that are more prone to damage than others though and these include limestone, carbon-steel, zinc, marble, paint and plastics. On our ancient buildings, acid damage can present itself as carvings that have worn away over time and black crusts formed in sheltered parts of stonework. Any part of a structure that sits under acidic water is also more prone to corrosion, like pipes and foundations for example.