--Moisture is the root cause of almost all mechanisms that damage mineral building materials. Their porous nature allows water and dissolved contaminants to penetrate via capillary action from the surface into the interior. By preventing the ingress of water into a structure, damage can be drastically reduced.
 Protectosil^® CHEM-TRETE^® and Protectosil^® AQUA-TRETE^® water repellent molecules penetrate into the building material and bond chemically to the surface, rendering it hydrophobic. External liquid water is kept from entering the pores, while water vapor generated from within the structure can still escape. The structure remains breathable. Because they are inside the pores, Protectosil^® CHEM-TRETE^® and Protectosil^® AQUA-TRETE^® water repellent treatments are not affected by UV radiation.