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Protect Your Home Exterior with Annual Pressure Washing

Protect Your Home Exterior with Annual Pressure Washing

House exteriors are very important and need a professional pressure wash once a year to ensure good airflow through soffits and maintain the longevity of your paint job. It’s unavoidable that your home’s exterior will collect pollutants surrounding it, but you can reduce your maintenance costs with an annual pressure washing.

Did you know:

  •         Many homes that look like they need a fresh coat of paint don’t.
  •         Pressure washing helps keep your soffits functioning correctly.
  •         Annual pressure washing will extend the life of your home exterior paint job.

Learn more about how to protect your home exterior with annual pressure washing:

Pressure Washing Removes Build-Up

In the course of a year, your Brevard County, FL home collects a lot of mold, mildew, dust and other air and surface pollutants. As the layers stick to each other, your home exterior will take on a dull and dirty look. Some homeowners don’t realize it’s possible to pressure wash this build-up away and instead assume they need a new paint job.

Build-up will also attach to your home’s soffits. One of the most important functions of your soffits is to help your house breathe. The other is to protect your rafters from weather-related complications such as mold and mildew attaching to the wooden beams causing it to rot. A thick layer of surface pollutants on your soffits can reduce airflow and possibly damage your home.

Extend the Life of Your New or Current Exterior Paint

Not only is yearly pollutant build-up visually unappealing to your current home exterior, but if you don’t remove pollutants routinely they can embed in your paint and make it more difficult to remove the grime. Additionally, the longer pollutants stick around, the more opportunity they have to break down the paint causing it to peel. Annual pressure washing will help extend the life of your home’s paint job and increase your curb appeal.  

Pressure Wash Before You Paint

Whether it’s time to update the color or your home exterior needs a fresh coat of paint you will extend the life of your new paint job by pressure washing away grime and mold before you apply paint or stain.

New paint will have a harder time sticking to the exterior surface if you don’t complete a proper cleaning first. You will quickly know when this step is skipped because the paint will peel off in large chunks or flake up shortly after completing the project.

Call a Professional

It might be tempting to protect your home exterior by doing a DIY pressure wash. We suggest you resist and call a professional to complete your annual pressure washing. Not all pressure washing equipment is the same nor are the tools included with different machines. It can be hard to control PSI and water flow, especially when it is your first time using a machine. If the pressure is too high, it can damage the paint on your exterior causing it to chip or crack. A professional knows the correct pressure to use and also understands which tools are best for tricky angles and corners of your home.

To schedule your annual pressure washing, contact Pressure Washing by Mike. We are licensed and insured and have worked since 2008 to expertly clean the exterior of Central, FL homes and commercial buildings. We understand how important it is to protect your home exterior properly. Give us a call and let’s get your free estimate scheduled.

Pressure Washing Your Home: When to DIY and When to Call the Pros

Pressure Washing Your Home When to DIY and When to Call in the ProsYou may have noticed dirt, grime, and debris on the sides of your home, fences, and walkways. This can be the result of the hurricane and rain storms that have visited Central Florida this year. Pressure washing will remove all of the dirt and grime, but it is a major job.

When to DIY

In Central Florida, the reality is that grime build up happens and you need to pressure wash your home to protect the exterior from damage. You may decide to wash down your patio and pool deck with a hose or bucket and scrub brush. This is a smaller job than washing down your house, but it is time-consuming.

You can also rent a pressure washer, attach it to your hose and wash down the fence, driveway, and walkways and even the roof. Regardless of the area, you may find that smaller sections where grime builds up are easy to take care of by yourself or to maintain in between professional power washes.

When to Call the Pros

A professional pressure washing will cover the following:

  • House, soffits, and gutters
  • Driveways
  • Walkways
  • Steps
  • Pool decks
  • Fencing
  • Roofs

The entire exterior will be professionally washed down with emphasis on the most difficult areas. This includes the corners of stairs and buildings. Dirt usually collects in the corners and backs of outdoor steps and stairways. A professional should use a non-toxic cleaning fluid that breaks up dirt.

The upper stories of your home’s exterior are often difficult to reach. This includes the area under the roof where dirt and mold collect. The patio and pool deck may also require pressure washing along with driveways and walkways. The shady side of a house or fence is likely to have mold and possibly fungus. Algae may grow in brighter parts of the building, fence or walkway.

Protect the area that requires cleaning by adjusting the pressure to accommodate the fragility of the surface. A professional knows how to control the nozzle for the correct pressure. Professional pressure washing equipment is of higher-quality than rental options, so it does a more thorough job than small hand-held units available.

Roof Cleaning is Best Left to the Pros

Having a professional service clean your shingle or tile roof with a non-pressure system is especially important since they require special care to prevent damage. Shingles should be carefully washed with a nontoxic and non-corrosive cleaner that will not harm the surface or underlayment. A non-pressure chemical cleaning is the safest way to clean the roof and ensure no damage. Too much pressure can harm asphalt shingles by washing away the surface granules.

Similar to the shingle roof cleaning, non-pressure chemical tile roof cleaning will kill and remove all mold and mildew present on tile roof without damaging or affecting the integrity of the roof being cleaned. Clay roof tiles often have a sealant to protect against algae and mold. Slate roofing also needs a very gentle wash to prevent delamination of the tiles.

 

Pressure Washing by Mike Schwab will give your home a new look with a thorough pressure washing. Our company serves Brevard County including Melbourne, Palm Bay, and Rockledge. Non-pressure roof cleaning is also available.

Are Tile and Shingle Roofs Cleaned the Same Way?

Are Tile and Shingle Roofs Cleaned the Same Way?Homeowners often wonder, “Are tile and shingle roofs cleaned the same way?”

Extending the life of the roof on your home in Florida includes pressure washing. Removing harmful grime build up isn’t just to make your roof look clean. It can keep the tiles from disintegrating. Different roof cleaning methods and washes are necessary for tile or shingle roofs. The type of cleaners used depends on the composition of the roof shingles and/or tiles. All roofs benefit from a non-pressure chemical roof cleaning,

How to Clean Shingle Roofs

Bitumen and asphalt shingles have a textured, sandy finish. This is designed to prolong the life of the shingles. The shingles come in different styles and colors. They all need cleaning to remove dirt, grime, moss, mold, and algae. Homes in Florida are especially susceptible algae and mold due to the humid climate.

Moss and algae can eat into the surface of shingles and lead to fungus growth and wood rot in the roof supports. Frequent cleaning is necessary if your roof has shady spots because moss and algae will grow more quickly there.

Shingles should be carefully washed with a nontoxic and non-corrosive cleaner that will not harm the surface or underlayment. A non-pressure chemical cleaning is the safest way to clean the roof and ensure no damage. Too much pressure can harm asphalt shingles by washing away the surface granules.

How to Clean Tile Roofs

There are several types of tiles used throughout Florida for homes with popular Spanish-style architecture. Red ceramic tiles are common. The tiles are harder but more porous than asphalt shingles and subject to cracks and breaks if too much pressure is applied. Pressure washing tile roofs will crack the grout that holds the ridge caps on and also force water under the tile.

Similar to the shingle roof cleaning, non-pressure chemical tile roof cleaning will kill and remove all mold and mildew present on tile roof without damaging or affecting the integrity of the roof being cleaned.

Clay tiles are even more porous. The mixture of sand and clay produces tiles that are great insulators. These roofs hold in the cooled air. Clay roof tiles often have a sealant to protect against algae and mold.

Slate roofing also needs a very gentle wash to prevent delamination of the tiles. A slate roof that is carefully cleaned can last for more than 50 years.

Professional Service

If you are wondering if tile and shingle roofs are cleaned the same way, you may want to consider having a professional service clean your roof with the right tools and safety equipment. Pressure Washing by Mike Schwab specializes in non-pressure roof cleaning for tile and shingle roofs in Brevard County, Florida. A special non-toxic solution is carefully applied to restore roofs, and we have the skills and tools to handle any unexpected developments. Contact us for more information on thoroughly cleaning your roof.

Before You Sell Your Home, Pressure Wash It!

sell home pressure washingYou know the saying, “You only get one chance to make a first impression.” It’s true when meeting new people and when viewing a home for sale. The outside of your home is the first thing buyers see when they drive up. Curb appeal matters and it has a huge impact on the resale potential of your home.

Taking the time to pressure wash your home can help increase the number of prospective buyers. After all, if you drove by a home for sale that had dirty siding, an algae covered sidewalk and a mud-caked fence, would you stop and tour the open house? Probably not. However, a home that looks like it has fresh paint, a clean driveway, and well-maintained fencing will draw in more traffic.

A good, thorough professional pressure washing of your home before you sell it will add to its curb appeal and well-maintained appearance, helping you sell your home faster.

Pressure Washing Your Home

There are several parts of your home which will benefit from a professional pressure washing. Wash away the grime that has accumulated on the shady side of your home. You may have mold or algae growing on the sections of your home that get less sun. This is often the case in damp weather. Debris may build up on the sunny side as well.

Dust and dirt collect on stucco, wood, and cement. Your entire house may only need a good pressure wash for improved curb appeal. An expert pressure washing can help bring tired looking surfaces back to life and make the paint on your home look fresh again.

Driveways, pathways, and steps will benefit from pressure washing too. Dirt and mold grow in corners and cracks in steps and cement driveways. The high-pressure wash will remove this debris.

Decks, pool areas, and fences will also take on an improved appearance with pressure washing. The dirt and mold will be washed away from wood and cement surfaces. Bricks and paving stones will look bright and clean. Pressure washing is the best way to remove dirt from grout.

Soft Washing for Roofs

A very light pressure “soft washing” technique using safe, effective chemicals should be used on tile and shingle roofs to remove dirt without harming the roofing materials. This gives a fresh look to an old roof.

Pressure washing equipment has several speeds and nozzles that are used to control the force of the water on different surfaces. This protects the surface while removing dirt. A professional pressure washing company will use the proper technique and equipment to get the job done right.

Pressure Washing by Mike Schwab serves Brevard County residential and commercial buildings with complete exterior cleaning. Give us a call to help you get your home or commercial building in top shape before selling. It’s an easy, cost-effective service that can help you sell your property faster.

What to Look for in a Pressure Washing Service in Melbourne, FL

Tile Roof Cleaning After - Brevard County FLHomeowners in Florida often search for a pressure washing service to remove algae, mildew, and dirt from their property. The warm, humid climate along Florida’s Space Coast, including Melbourne and the surrounding area, creates the perfect environment for biological growth on roofs, homes, fences and walkways. A reliable pressure washing service will have the proper equipment for cleaning several types of surfaces. The pressure in the hose must be regulated to thoroughly clean each of the different surfaces.

Areas ideal for pressure washing include:

  • Walkways
  • Decks
  • Fences
  • Siding
  • Gutters

Shingle and tile roofs require a thorough soft washing process.

Understanding the Surface

Pressure washing uses water under pressure to remove dirt, algae, mildew, fungus and other pathogens from surfaces. These particles build up on walkways and pool decks. A complete pressure wash will remove particles from cracks and textured surfaces without injuring the material.

A pressure wash eliminates oil, dirt, pollen and other harmful debris from driveways. This is the best method for removing grime from concrete surfaces. A powerful stream of water will remove built-up dirt and dead leaves from the corners of concrete and brick steps. Walkways will be free from harmful debris that can cause people to trip or slide.

Mold, black mildew, fungus, and algae may grow on one or more sides of a building. A pressure wash is the best way to eliminate all of the unwanted growth on vinyl, brick or concrete structures.

Pressure washing will renew a dirty, warped fence. A complete washing is usually necessary before a wood fence can be repainted or stained and is not harmful to wood decks and steps.

Roof Washing

Mildew, mold, and algae can grow on roofs in Florida’s humid climate. A high-pressure system can damage shingles and tiles so it should not be used on roofs. A non-pressure spray with a cleaning solution made for roofing materials should be used to remove dirt and grime from tiles and shingle roofs. This is not a do-it-yourself job since special equipment is needed to safely access all parts of the roof.

A special spray is used with the soft washing technique to spread a solution to inhibit the growth of algae and black mildew on the roof. This type of washing process is recommended for fences and the sides of homes as well.

The professional equipment used is different from the power wash units you can buy or rent. A professional pressure washing company will have all of the attachments and other tools necessary to do a complete job.

Pressure Washing by Mike Schwab serves the Melbourne area, including Palm Bay and other communities, with pressure washing and soft washing. All roof cleaning is done with our safe, proven, non-pressure chemical application which safely removes all mold and mildew without damaging the shingle or tile roof. We work with homeowner associations and commercial buildings to keep your grounds clean and safe. Contact us for a free estimate.

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