Edwards Aquifer Scale
Schertz runs on Edwards Aquifer water. It is essentially liquid limestone.
Sprinklers spray this water onto the stones. The sun evaporates the liquid, leaving a hard white crust. This calcium scale bonds like concrete. Scrapers chip the granite.
We use a buffered acid for cleaning stone gravestones. We dissolve the mineral bond chemically. We flush the crust away.
Blackland Clay Heave
The soil here is deep, expansive clay. It moves violently.
Summer heat shrinks the ground. Winter rain swells it. This hydraulic pressure snaps concrete footers. Monuments lean. Shoveling dirt under the gap is a waste of time; the clay swallows it.
For tombstone repair and restoration, we bypass the moving topsoil. We install friction piers. We anchor the foundation to the stable subsoil.
Live Oak Tannins
Live Oaks line the older cemeteries. They drop leaves and acorns year-round.
When wet, these leaves bleed tannic acid. It leaves a deep brown stain that looks like coffee. Soap cannot remove it. It soaks deep into the pores.
We use a chemical poultice. It draws the stain out over 24 hours.
Quarry Dust Haze
Active limestone quarries operate nearby. White dust fills the air.
This alkaline powder settles on the markers. Morning dew turns it into a hard paste. If you wipe it dry, you act like a sandblaster. It scratches the polish.
We use a high-volume water flush for grave site cleaning services. We float the grit off. We restore the mirror shine.
Fire Ant Acid
Fire ants build mounds against the warm stones.
The dirt is acidic. It burns the polish. It leaves a rough, dull ring. You cannot wash this damage off. We treat the ground. Then we neutralize the acid to stop the burn.