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This French term (prononced go-mahj) refers to the process of gently cleaning masonry by projecting very fine powders with low pressure compressed air. No chemicals, water, or detergent are used.
The façade gommage process removes unsightly dirt and pollution deposits from interior and exterior surfaces of limestone, sandstone, granite, marble, brick, concrete aggregate stone, slate and stucco. It does not damage historic building fabric fabric in the short or long term and includes a dust containment system to ensure nuisance-free cleaning.
The fine powder remains in the airflow as it is dispersed outward along the surface. In moving with the flow, these low mass particles slowly diminish the dirt layer with a rubbing action, unlike the direct, high-force impact of sand in traditional blast methods.
Thomann-Hanry selects its powders according to the type of masonry and nature of the soil deposit. The organic or mineral based particles emitted from the air nozzle range in size from 15 to 90 microns.
Thomann-Hanry technicians follow an extensive training program and have the experience needed to permanently control dirt removal. They leave behind a uniform appearance without damage to stonework or mortar joints.
The Thormann-Hanry Company has researched and developed a lightweight vacuum cabin in which technicians carry out the cleaning process. The cabin is fully enclosed except for a forward opening which faces the building. Accessing the building façade can be achieved by suspending the vacuum cabin from outriggers, mounting the cabin on a specialized boom truck, or working from other access methods designed for hard to reach places.
The cabin is equipped with vacuum units to immediately recover dust and dirt. This system not only clears the work space for precise visual control by the technician, but also keeps the surrounding area dust-free for pedestrians and building occupants.
As airborn particles are captured in the vacuum they are moistened with a water spray and flushed through a hose to a ground level containment system. These non-toxic powders are safe for normal landfill disposal. The patented façade gommage process cleans effectively without water, chemicals or surface damage, and removes waste without contaminating the environment.
The system offers the following principle benefits-
Absence of scaffolding and covers: the use of a boom truck reduces the time required to assemble and dismantle a scaffolding.
Fast execution: the high mobility of the boom truck allows us to progress fast, about 10 linear meters a day for a six story building and reduces the nuisance period.
Security: the folding of the hydraulic arm at night and the suppression of any access possibility (as with scaffolding) ensures total security during the night. Banks, hotels and embassies particularly appreciate this process.
Environment: Our process is environmentally safe, no chemicals are discharged and we use little of our increasingly precious water.
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