There is nothing redeeming about dirty pavements. They are unsightly, unsafe, and unlikely to hold up well against the elements. Even though concrete is naturally hardy and tough, without regular care, it always succumbs to the weather and foot traffic. Routinely pressure washing pavement and inspecting it for damage is a good way to make sure it holds up against the test of time.

The Problems with Dirty Pavements

Dirty pavements are billboards for all kinds of safety and visual issues. At the very least, they minimize curb appeal. This reflects poorly on the property owner which is especially detrimental if the property is commercial. A property’s pavement is often the first thing passersby and visitors see, and dirty commercial pavements especially can scare away potential customers and tenants by intimating that the concrete reflects how the business is run.

This principle doesn’t just apply to infrequent visitors. Studies show that employee engagement improves in environments that are clean and well-maintained, so having clean pavements is a way to improve productivity as well as employee morale.

Regardless of whether your property is residential or commercial, dirty pavements can lower the value of the whole property. This is not simply because of cosmetic issues. Dirt buildup and other soiling can exacerbate or lead to cracking in the pavement. Contaminates and particulates can work their way into the natural pores of concrete and expand them, opening the doors to water damage and other deterioration and shortening the lifespan of your concrete overall.

Lastly, dirty pavements are a public health hazard. They can foster mold growth and lead to the buildup of other allergens. In addition to staining, this can cause respiratory problems and make your pavements unsafe and slippery. This may expose you and others to injury and even lawsuits. Because of these factors and the increased risk of concrete damage, regularly cleaning your concrete is the most cost-effective option.

How Do You Clean Pavement Without a Pressure Washer?

If you want to clean your pavement by hand, you probably already have the tools to do so lying around your home. Combining warm water and a cup of baking soda in a bucket creates an easy general cleaning solution. A hardy liquid detergent like Dawn can also be effective. Mix your solution well and apply it to your pavement to sit. 

After an interval of around 30 minutes, scrub with a hard-bristled brush and plenty of elbow grease. You can rinse the concrete with a hose. While this method is appealing because you likely already have all the components, it is certainly the most time- and energy-consuming option. The results are not as enduring or thorough as a good pressure wash. 

Pressure Washing Dirty Concrete

Pressure washing is the most powerful and efficient way to clean dirty pavement. The pressurized water and tailored cleaning solutions can blast away debris, dirt, algae, mold, and stains from concrete and other surfaces with almost magical ease. When done correctly, this can be done without damaging the material.

While sweeping and hand scrubbing are a good start, pressure washing provides a deeper clean, expelling deeply-rooted or caked-on contaminants and stains. If you have stubborn grime or grit, pressure washing is the only solution. Be aware that any cracks will need to be repaired before pressure washing the concrete to avoid furthering the damage.

Can Pressure Washing Damage Concrete?

If the settings are not right for the surface, or if the hand wielding the machine is inexperienced, pressure washing can damage your concrete. Nozzles that are too focused or pressure settings set too high can cause irreversible damage to your pavements, patios, and driveways. The best way to avoid this risk is by leaving the job to the professionals.

Professional Pressure Washing Services for Dirty Concrete

Trusting your dirty pavement to the professionals is the best way to make sure that pavement is cleaned properly. Professional pressure washers have the experience necessary to handle all of the equipment and to use the right nozzle, pressure settings, and cleaning solutions for your space. As an additional bonus, a professional pressure washer will inspect your concrete before cleaning to make sure there is no damage that should first be repaired. 

Find a professional pressure washing company that you can trust with your pavement cleaning. They can schedule regular maintenance appointments for best and most lasting results, or they can handle unique jobs in the face of cleaning emergencies. Do what’s right for your pavements and have them professionally pressure washed.

Wood rot is more than just rotten luck. It can cause serious damage to Indiana properties if it is not noticed and addressed early on. While it is natural, rot can make maintaining a property difficult. Here is what you should know about preventing rot on your property.

The Problem with Rot

Rot describes a form of decay that is triggered by moisture. Decomposition fungi eat away at wood (usually) which weakens the fibers and compromises its structural integrity. Even though wood is treated before construction to prevent rot, sometimes even that is not enough to stave off the hungry little microorganisms. If even a tiny bit of rot forms, it can grow and spread rapidly.

Rot, Pressure Washing, and Paint

Rot damage will only continue to get worse unless it is properly taken care of. If the damage is deep enough, you cannot pressure wash it away since the weakened wood will only splinter and chip under the pressure. On the other hand, it is very important to pressure wash a wooden fence or deck before painting it.

Speaking of painting, it is not a solution to wood rot either. Painting over rot will not kill it or even stop its spread. Instead, rot underneath a layer of paint will continue to spread, resulting in paint that chips and peels away from the ruined wood. This allows more moisture in, propagating the vicious cycle of rot growth. 

Identifying Rot Early On

Identifying rot before its development can get out of hand has a lot to do with recognizing where it thrives. The perfect combination for rot growth is wooden surfaces with high moisture contents. Keep a wary eye on areas of your fence or deck near the ground (where the planks can soak up moisture from the damp earth), underneath damp or dripping foliage, and near gutters.

It is also helpful to know what rot looks like so you can tell when you’ve spotted it. Wood rot’s appearance depends on its stage of growth. Early on it tends to look a bit like cotton wool. The early stages are also characterized by mushroom growth. If you have mushrooms near your fence or deck, your rot sirens should go off.

Discoloration is another indication of wood rot, as is softness. If your wood starts to feel soft or spongy or can even be breached without too much pressure, your rot has developed pretty far. Again, look for areas of dampness or condensation. 

Taking Action

To protect your property’s wooden structures, you should take steps to remove rot as soon as you find it. As mentioned above, rot will have to be addressed before you can pressure wash or paint your wood.

Repairing the Damage Caused by Rot

Wood rot damage is irreversible. The fungi eats away at the cellulose in the wood, and it cannot be regrown. However, depending on the extent of the damage, you may be able to reinforce and repair your wood at least cosmetically. First you should kill the fungi to prevent further spread. Applying antifreeze can accomplish this task.

If you catch the damage early on, plugging up holes and channels with an exterior epoxy can help to strengthen your wooden planks. On the other hand, if the wood is spongy or falling apart, especially in noticeable sections, the wood in those sections will have to be replaced.

Preventing Wood Rot in the First Place

Prevention is the best medicine, and that is true when dealing with wood rot as well. There are some landscaping choices you can make and some household precautions you can take to keep rot at bay:

• Keep your plants off of your wood—Plants are wet. They can drip onto wooden decks from above or nestle too close to wooden fences. Look out for any plant-related moisture and give your wood a wide berth.
• Build with pressure-treated wood—Pressure treating wood subjects it to a chemical process in a pressure chamber to make it more durable.
• Seal out the moisture—Some moisture, like rain and dew, you can’t prevent. However, you can prepare your wood to repel ambient water. Stain will penetrate the wood and block moisture, while paint does the same thing by adding a barrier on the wood’s surface. 
• Close the gaps—Caulk seams and gaps (especially around exterior windows and doors) with a latex exterior caulk. If your caulk looks dry or flakey, it is old and should be removed and replaced.
• Use a fungicide—If you need a heavy-duty solution, borate is a fungicide that is safe for wood, humans, and animals. You can spray it directly on the fence.

Siding is one of the most visible parts of your home’s design. It creates an impression, being one of the first things visitors see. Clearly, having clean siding is ideal, but what’s the best way of going about it? What is the best method for cleaning siding? Stick around, for we certainly have some suggestions. 

The Troubles of Cleaning Siding

Siding poses a few unique challenges when it comes to keeping it clean. It is exposed to the elements all day every day, 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year. It can really take a beating from rain, snow, solar UV radiation, airborne dust and debris, pollen, bird droppings, and mold or mildew spores. With so much going on, it is easy to see why siding gets dirty so quickly. White vinyl siding is particularly prone to showing signs of wear. 

The sheer amount of grime buildup is not the only reason cleaning siding is difficult. Depending on the size of your home, the siding may extend three stories high. This makes cleaning by hand difficult and even dangerous. While pressure washers are excellent at cleaning surfaces that elevated, pressure washing siding is a sure way to damage it.

Pressure washing siding is a bad idea for two reasons. The force behind a pressure wash actually forces water up underneath the panels. This can cause vinyl planks to pry away from the building, loosening them or even blowing them off. If the water doesn’t dislodge the siding, it will hide between the siding and the wall, becoming an ideal breeding ground for mold. 

How to Correctly Clean Siding

If this is the case, if all these problems exist, is successfully cleaning siding even possible? Yes, and the answer is soft washing. Soft washing is a technique that uses lower pressure settings than a traditional power washer but still manages to remove dirt and grime that builds up on home exteriors. It’s true that the process requires some finesse, but the results are well worth it.

Soft Washing Siding at Home

Soft washing is powerful enough to clean your home without copious amounts of elbow grease or time while still being gentle enough to preserve vinyl siding. That being said, always mind the siding manufacturer’s instructions during cleaning and test pressure settings and cleaning solutions on an inconspicuous place before doing the rest of the house. 

The right cleaning solution will avoid chemicals that are highly corrosive since they can erode your siding. Steer clear of undiluted bleach or untraditional cleaners like furniture-polishes or degreasers. Always start with lower pressure settings and work your way as necessary. Working quickly so the solution doesn’t dry, apply the cleaning solution in overlapping, even strokes, starting from the bottom of the wall. This painting-like approach can make sure you don’t get streaks or miss spots when cleaning siding.

You may find that you need a bit more than just the soft washing system to cut through tricky grease or grime. The machine does pack a punch, but you may also want to use a rotating brush attachment to your soft washing wand to scrub at the vinyl.

When the soap solution has had a little time to break down grime and stains, it’s time to rinse. It is vital to hold the pressure washer level so no pressurized water blows up underneath the siding. To that end, you may need to use an extension wand to reach hard-to-reach places above ground level. You’ll also need to give the wall plenty of space to make sure you don’t overpower the vinyl. If you find you need more power while cleaning siding, you can get closer. 

Always rinse from the top of the wall moving downward so the soap solution can run down without undoing your hard work. During the soft washing process, make sure you wear protective gear, especially eyewear. You should also protect the parts of your property that are not being cleaned, covering shrubs, trees, furniture, and doors with tarp.

Professional Soft Washing Services

Because cleaning siding by soft wash is such a nuanced task, the best way to do it without damage is by letting the professionals take care of it. With years of experience, a professional team can easily cut through dirt, grime, mold, and mildew to give your home a sparkling clean. Regularly cleaning your siding is a great way to prevent deep buildup, inhibit microbial growth, catch damage early on, and preserve the color of your siding.