Most of our clients are amazed by the amount of knowledge needed to properly power wash decks, siding and other surfaces. Our president, Michael Lowe, has attended workshops on power washing to keep him inform about the latest advancements in this field.
In an effort to stay ahead in this business we have joined The Power Washers of North America (PWNA) and keep up with the latest research and developments in this industry.
Here are some tips for caring for your awnings:
- Keep tree branches cut back off of your awnings
- Branches and leaves can stain your awnings and the weight of these objects can stretch the awning out of shape
- Bird droppings are acidic and can cause color fading–rinse off anytime you see them
- DO NOT WAIT TILL YOUR AWNING IS FILTHY BEFORE YOU CLEAN IT. More frequent cleanings are better as the awning can use a more gentle cleaning process and milder cleaners
- YOU SHOULD CLEAN FABRIC AWNINGS 2-3 TIMES/YEAR AND VINYL AWNINGS 3-4 TIMES/YEAR.
- If work is being done above the awning, make sure to protect it from falling debris, for example, Paint/Roofing material
- Have all holes/rips repaired quickly.
- Last and above all, ALWAYS-ALWAYS MAKE SURE THAT YOU OR YOUR CONTRACTOR SEALS YOUR AWNINGS–IT IS NOT PROPERLY COMPLETE UNTIL THIS PROCEDURE IS DONE.
Window Cleaning tip for Home Owners:
- The right equipment is very important if you want to achieving a good results.
- Buy a quality squeegee, constructed with a brass channel which firmly holds the rubber blade. The rubber blade part of the squeegee should extends pass the brass channel about 1/8 inch. This makes it very rigid and very effective.
- Make your own cleaning solution by simply using dishwashing soap and water.
- Instead of using ordinary towels use “microfiber” towels since they absorb many times their weight in water and because they cause less streaking.
- You can purchase most of the above products at a local janitorial supply store.
Since there is so much to cover about this subject, we will hit upon what is the most important items.
In pressure washing there is always a delicate balance between pressure and chemicals. IT IS NOT ALL ABOUT PRESSURE. We often hear folks say, “I purchased a 4000 PSI (Pounds per Square Inch) pressure washer machine”, very rarely would you ever need anything over 3,000 PSI to be effective. You can do enormous damage with pressures over 3,000 PSI. You can put a hole through a wall or window of a building with 4000 PSI or above. This is not something that most people want. The use a of variable speed wand is of great importance to avoid damage.
There are chemicals to remove almost any stain or clean any type of surface that you would ever want to clean, you just have to know which ones to use, know how to use the type of equipment you have with the chemical that is being used, the type surface the stain is on, and correct brush to use if needed. A very important fact to be aware of is the dwell time that is necessary to get the best results. Dwell time relates to the time it takes for a chemical to reach its maximum potential of effectiveness.
We often have folks ask us if they can get rid of an oil stain off their concrete garage floor, and the answers are both yes and no. The concrete will never be the same once oil gets into it due to the porosity of the concrete. However, it can make a big improvement in the floors appearance.
Always use chemicals specifically specified for building restoration. These chemicals come with a Material Safety Data Sheets Sheet (MSDS). The MSDS sheet will tell you all about the chemical and what to do if you have an accident with it. This could protect you from a lawsuit, but most important, it is for your protection as well.
Professionals use industrial grade pressure cleaning equipment. One of the things that the industrial pressure cleaners have is that the pump can be repaired and overhauled when necessary. These units are much more costly than the ones found in home improvement stores, but these low-cost units are suitable for many uses around the home. Low-cost units, once the pumps break, cannot be repaired. That is one of the drawbacks, but not a major one since with normal use around your home, you should get several years of service out of it .
A question that we frequently are asked is about how to remove mildew and mold. In our experience bleach is still the best, cheapest and most effective way to get rid of mildew and mold,
Call today for a free estimate – 903-330-1950