Several bricks on my house have developed a white powdery coating. Should I replace those bricks?
Answer
Not necessarily. The white powder is called efflorescence, and it’s caused by moisture carrying natural salts to the surface of the brick. The efflorescence itself usually isn’t the problem—it’s a sign that moisture is moving through the masonry. We’ve found it’s much more important to correct the source of the moisture than simply clean the brick. If moisture has already damaged the mortar or brick, repairing those areas helps prevent the problem from continuing. Otherwise, the white staining will usually keep coming back.
