Are you living or working in an older building? Over time, these buildings can end up with a buildup of grime and dirt on the exterior. It ruins the appearance and makes the place look shabby. If you have this problem, why not try pressure washing to revive your exterior?
What Makes Old Buildings Look Bad
It’s not just dust in the air that causes that grubby look on older siding and brick. It’s actually a combination of factors and substances. These include:
Mold/Mildew: This often looks like black patches that spread over the building’s surface. On brick buildings, it will tend to grow in the concrete grooves between bricks.
Moss: In damp areas, moss is very likely to start growing on your building and usually starts near the ground. If left, it can cause damage to your building and will continue to spread.
Dirt: Regular dirt kicked up by rain can also stick to the building and make it look dirty and unkempt. This may come with bits of grass from lawn mowing or other debris.
Soot/Grime: If you live in the city or near a highway, the car exhaust and pollution in the air can leave unpleasant grime on your building. This is harder to clear off than regular dirt and looks gray or black.
Whether you want to make your building look better for yourself, to present a more professional first impression for your business, or because you’re looking to sell, pressure washing can help restore your exterior.
How to Pressure Wash Your Home
You can rent pressure washers to clean your own home. It can be tricky to clean the exterior of your home or building, particularly when dealing with older homes. Pressure washing at high power can actually strip paint, which is probably not what you want to do.
Ideally, you will clean the exterior of your building with special detergents designed to help remove the mold and gunk that has built up. This should be done at a lower pressure, as well, to avoid stripping paint or compromising the structure. Very high pressures can actually blast out pieces of concrete from your brick building if you’re not careful.
To avoid problems, it’s usually simpler and more efficient to hire a power washing company with the necessary experience and equipment. They can come in, clean off the exterior of your building and leave it in pristine condition without destroying the paint or grout.
Whichever method you choose to use, pressure washing your older building can make it look new again.