It’s easy to put off certain home services. The longer you wait, the less important they seem- until one day, you realize that a certain home service is essential for the aesthetic and even the safety of your home. Power washing is one such service. You might notice your house getting a bit dull or dingy on the outside, but it may not seem like an urgent matter until later. Power washing improves more than just the aesthetic of a home or building, it also helps to ensure the longevity of your siding or paint.
Here are a few reasons to hire a commercial power washer to help clean your property. For more resources, please visit our website at clearwaterpressurewashingandroofcleaning.com.
Preserving the Paint
When dirt and grime build up on the outside of a home, they can begin to eat away at the paint and siding. Vinyl siding is more resistant, but wood is very susceptible to damage from dirt, grime, and plants. Lichen is infamous for eating away at wood and at homeowners’ roofs. Homeowners may be able to extend the life of their paint for three years or more with annual power washing.
Curb Appeal and Aesthetic
Curb appeal is important for a home even if you are not actively trying to sell it. Taking pride in the place you live is part of the draw of owning a home- you can decorate it however you like, customize it to your personality, and (barring any HOA restrictions) display whatever impression you want to passers-by. Commercial power washer services can go a long way when you’re cleaning and sprucing up the outside of your home.
Lower Maintenance Costs in the Future
If the dirt or algae sits on the property too long, whether that’s your house, your deck, or your driveway, it can become stuck. Siding and decks especially can develop stains over time, which may be more expensive to remove. You may even need to just paint over the stains, which can be time-consuming and expensive as well. As such, having a commercial power washer come out and clean your property can actually save you money in the long run.
Remove Algae and Lichen
Algae is usually associated with ponds and other stagnant bodies of water, but it can grow in a variety of places. It’s often assumed that algae needs to be in standing water to grow, but this is untrue. Algae, lichen, and other similar plants do not need dirt in order to grow and thrive. They do best in damp conditions and are often found sprouting on the sides of homes that have not been cleaned in a while.
Protect Your Family’s Health
Do you or any of your family members deal with allergies? Allowing organic matter to grow on your house, inside or outside, could make them worse. Mold can also develop if the outside of the home is not cleaned off every now and then, releasing spores into the air that make humans and pets sick.
Increase or Maintain Home Value
The appearance and curb appeal of a home is a huge selling point when it comes time to sell it. Commercial power washers can help you prepare to sell by making the outside of the house look sparkling clean. Not only does a clean exterior increase interest in the home in the first place, but regular power washing also keeps the exterior paint and siding protected from certain types of damage, potentially increasing the home value.
Can Commercial Power Washers Damage Your Home?
The possibility of damage is one reason it’s so important to have power washing services done by a professional, rather than renting the equipment and trying to do it on your own. Believe it or not, it’s not unusual for people to sustain injuries from power washing. If the service is performed improperly, the jets of water from power washers can get up under the siding of your house and cause water damage to the walls inside. At hundreds or even thousands of pounds of pressure per square inch, power washers can even break windows!
Professional power washers, however, are trained on how to properly handle the equipment to avoid injuries and damage.
How Often Should I Power Wash My House?
Though power washing is an important part of home maintenance, you don’t have to do it as often as you may think! It’s generally recommended that homeowners have the exterior of their house, their deck, and their driveway power washed annually. Many people choose to do so in the springtime. Winter can leave your home in rough shape, especially if you’ve had unfavorable weather during the season. Additionally, power washing as the warm weather rolls in prepares your home for summer. People who enjoy hosting friends and family may want to clean their deck in preparation for backyard barbeques and summertime parties.