Sinking in Marshy Ground
Delaware sits low. The ground is often waterlogged. Heavy granite monuments sink straight down into this soft mud.
We see headstones buried up to the family name. Prying them up to shovel dirt underneath is a waste of time. The mud swallows the fill dirt immediately. For tombstone repair and restoration, we hoist the monument out. We dig down to firm soil and pack in a heavy stone base. We build a pad that floats on the mud so the marker stays up.
Salt Air Erosion
The ocean breeze carries salt. Porous stone absorbs that damp air constantly. The salt gets trapped inside the rock structure.
Pressure builds up inside until it blasts the polish right off the granite face. It looks like white powder, but it is actually the stone falling apart. You cannot hose this off. The pressure comes from inside. We use a specialized poultice for headstone cleaning services near me. We apply a paste that draws the salt out of the pores. We stop the damage before the face falls off.
Poison Ivy Removal
Poison ivy takes over our cemeteries fast. It climbs the stones and covers the names.
It is a hazard. The oil stays on the stone surface for months. Families get severe rashes just trying to visit a grave. We cut the vines and treat the roots chemically. We clear the area during grave site cleaning services. We make the plot safe to touch again.
Pine Sap Pitch
In the lower counties, pine trees are everywhere. They drop sticky sap on the markers.
The sap dries into black, hard lumps. Dust and pollen stick to it. If you try to scrape it off, you will scratch the stone. Water won't touch it. We use a solvent poultice for cleaning stone gravestones. We dissolve the hardened pitch chemically. It wipes off clean without ruining the finish.
Holly Berry Stains
American Holly trees drop red berries all winter. They land on flat markers and rot.
Those berries are acidic. They leave a red dye that burns into white marble. It looks like a bloodstain. Standard soap won't move it. We use oxidizing cleaners. We bleach the organic dye out of the pores and neutralize the acid. The stone goes back to white.
Green Algae Slime
It is humid here. Green algae grows fast on any stone that sits in the shade.
It creates a slick green scum. It holds moisture against the stone, which rots the surface. Pressure washing just drives the spores deeper into the rock. We use a soft-wash biological treatment. We kill the algae. It turns brown and falls off with the next rain.
Sandy Soil Washout
Our soil is sandy. When we get heavy rain, the water creates sheet runoff. It scours the ground.
The sand washes out from under the concrete foundation. The monument starts to tip over. We check the base at every visit. We pack heavy gravel under the foundation lip during cemetery plot maintenance. Gravel is too heavy to wash away, so the stone stays level.