Pressure Washing A Front Porch - StarCare Powerwash

Greg and Tim with Starcare Powerwash show how they use professional equipment and hot water to effectively clean a front porch or patio. See more at http://www.starcarepowerwash.com

Happy Thanksgiving!

An attitude of gratitude brings great things.

-Yogi Bhajan

5 WINTER HOME MAINTENANCE TIPS

In any household, there’s a lot to do to get yourself and your family ready for winter. But between stocking up the pantry and prepping your winter wardrobe, we often forget about our home. Particularly, the outside of your home. Taking the proper steps to ensure your home is ready before winter arrives will help you avoid costly repairs and ensure your home is in the best condition possible once spring arrives.

We’ve compiled a list of the five most important home maintenance tips to ensure your home is ready for the cold and unpredictable winter weather to arrive.

WASHING & SEALING YOUR CONCRETE
While it may not seem like it on the surface, concrete is extremely porous (think of a sponge). Throughout the warmer seasons, it collects water, dirt, and grime and traps it within its crevices. Not only does your concrete end up looking dirty, but this is also the direct cause of cracking, chipping, and pitting. When the freeze-thaw cycle hits, the water inside concrete expands. It pushes the particles deeper into those pores, leading to the destruction of your concrete. Having it professionally washed will remove the dirt and grime, and a premium sealer will protect it during the freeze-thaw cycle.

CLEANING OUT YOUR FLOWER BEDS
Prepping your flower beds for winter should be an annual task if you want to keep them in tip-top shape. Begin by raking out the old mulch and dead organic matter. For your favorite annual flowers, harvest any mature seeds and store them in a cool, dark area until it’s time to replant them. For perennials, cut back dry stems and diseased foliage. Be extra careful to leave stems and roots intact to ensure they can regrow come spring. To prevent small rodents from nesting in the warm soil, apply a thick layer of mulch over your entire flower bed.

POWER WASHING YOUR HOME
Dirt, grime, mold, and algae can result in permanent staining when left on your home for an extended time. To prevent this, it’s recommended that you have your home power washed on a yearly basis. While the cold temperatures will prevent most of the growth, the heat escape around your faucet creates the perfect winter oasis for mold, mildew, and other contaminants to flourish. If you haven’t done it yet this year, putting it off until next spring could lead to permanent staining.

INSPECTING YOUR WINDOW AND DOOR SEALS
Nothing is more annoying than receiving your electric bill and realizing that you’ve been heating the great outdoors for much of the winter. Taking a moment to check the seal on each door and window, ensuring that there isn’t a draft, will save you money and the headache of fixing it in the middle of winter.

PACKING AWAY YOUR OUTDOOR FURNITURE
You know that beautiful welcome mat with your family surname draped across it? Or the porch swing that you long to sit back and relax in? Those items, and all your other outdoor décor, run the risk of being destroyed by the snow and ice that comes along with winter. Save your outdoor furniture by washing it off and packing it away in a dark, dry location. Come spring you can unpack it and enjoy it for at least another year.

WINTER HOME MAINTENANCE WRAP UP
Completing these five maintenance tasks will certainly help prepare your home for winter. Come spring, your flower bed will be ready for planting, your outdoor furniture will simply need to be dusted off, and you’ll still have those few hundred dollars you could have spent on your heating bill.

While winter brings shorter and colder days, it can be a relaxing and enjoyable time. That is if you’re not worrying about the next crack to appear in your driveway or stains embedded in your siding.

Article Source: https://www.perfectpowerwash.com/5-winter-home-maintenance-tips/

3 Reasons to Power Wash Concrete

Cleaning concrete can be challenging. While there are a number of methods from which to choose, pressure washing is generally considered the best method. Whether it is your home driveway or a commercial building, there are a number of reasons to consider pressure washing. Here are three primary benefits of residential and commercial power washing:

1. Fast and Effective
The power of a pressure washer allows for quick and thorough cleaning. Other methods simply do not offer the speed and effectiveness that a pressure washer provides. When cleaning concrete, it is typically a large surface. This would be extremely time-consuming when using other methods of cleaning. A quality pressure washing service will get the job done properly and quickly.

2. Restoration and Protection
The deep cleaning of pressure washing gives the concrete a new appearance. It will restore the concrete to near original appearance. Pressure washers can also seal the concrete, providing protection for the future. The best way to protect your concrete is to frequently have it cleaned. Dirt and grime cause damage over time. Restore and prevent damage with regularly scheduled, high-quality pressure washing.

3. Safety
Because most of the cleaning ability comes from the power of the washer, there is no need for harsh chemicals. Often, water alone will get the job done. However, there are biodegradable cleaners and other safe products that can be used in combination with a washer. This may be necessary for clearing significant amounts of grease or muck. These products are safe for plants, animals, and people.

These are just three of the primary reasons to choose power washing when dealing with concrete. Looking to have your concrete driveway, or walkway professionally cleaned? Contact us for a quote. Our professionals are experts in this field and are happy to answer your questions.

Article Source: https://ecocleannj.com/3-reasons-to-power-wash-concrete/

Professional vs. DIY Pressure Washing

MAKING THE CHOICE BASED ON EFFORT, SAFETY & EFFECTIVENESS
If you own a business, you understand the importance of appearances. You expect your employees to dress well and represent your company professionally. You make an effort to keep the interior of your business clean, from the reception area to the bathrooms and everywhere in between. You know a sloppy-looking property doesn’t shine your business in the best light, so you continually maintain it.

Your efforts to keep your business looking great are admirable, but what about the outside of your building? You should take as much pride in the appearance of the façade, parking lot and any surrounding alleyways as you do on the lobby just through the door. One of the easiest ways to clean concrete, asphalt, brick and other building materials of accumulated dirt, grime and graffiti is with pressure washing.

You might think, “Great, I’ll go out and rent a pressure washer and do the job myself.” However, you’re wise to consider hiring a professional rather than attempting a DIY job. Here are three good reasons why.

DIY VS. PROFESSIONAL PRESSURE WASHING: EFFORT
If you decide to go the DIY route, you need to put a lot of effort into the process. In addition to the rigorous, sweaty work of actually pressure washing your building and parking lot, a DIY job requires you to research power washers, learn how to use one, rent one, clean it when you’re done and remember to return it.

It takes a lot of time and effort to pressure wash your own property, especially considering that you have to go through the whole process again in a few months when the dirt, grime and litter start piling up again.

On the other hand, you could hire a professional pressure washing company with a quick phone call. On the day of the cleaning, you can go about your regular routine running your business while a professional does the hard work of pressure washing your building.

DIY VS. PROFESSIONAL PRESSURE WASHING: SAFETY
Despite what you might think, pressure washers can actually be dangerous tools in the wrong hands. If you have never operated a pressure washer before, you may accidentally hurt yourself or someone else. With the wrong settings and aimed the wrong way, you could even damage the very property you’re trying to clean.

You have experience running your business and taking care of your customers’ needs. Put these skills to good use and leave the pressure washing to an expert who uses a pressure washer on a daily basis.

DIY VS. PROFESSIONAL PRESSURE WASHING: EFFECTIVENESS
Companies that rent out pressure washers understand that the equipment can be dangerous to use. That’s why rentable machines use lower pressure and lack a heating element. This downgrade is for your safety—knowing that people renting pressure washers aren’t professionals in handling the equipment. Unfortunately, what this means is that a rented pressure washer isn’t as effective as a professional-grade model.

True, you can remove loose dirt, cobwebs and cigarette butts with water at any pressure. However, when it comes to washing away spray paint, embedded grime and stains, higher pressure is definitely more effective. You’ll also appreciate the heated element of a professional-grade pressure washer if particularly stubborn spots refuse to wash away.

In addition to using commercial pressure washers, professional companies also have access to effective cleaning agents. Some heavily-stained areas of your building may need so much help that high-pressure water and heat aren’t enough. In those instances, a pressure washing technician boosts cleaning power with chemicals. Thanks to the technician’s training and experience, he or she knows how to implement the cleaning chemicals without allowing them to drain into the city’s water supply. This ensures you don’t get in trouble with the EPA under the Clean Water Act.

If minimal effort, optimal safety and maximum effectiveness sound like the right combination to you, contact us today!

Article Source: https://www.statesystemsinc.com/blog/professional-vs-diy-pressure-washing

Reasons to Power Wash Your Driveway

What is one of the most important, but most commonly overlooked, parts of our homes? Our driveway. Over time, concrete and cement driveways become worn down from extreme heat and cold, the accumulation of road salt during the winter, oil drips, grease—the list goes on and on.

Acting like a sponge, concrete driveways absorb contaminants, dirt, and grime. Think about this: When you know your car is dirty, you probably do not hesitate to drive it through a car wash to keep it clean and contaminant-free. So, when you know your driveway is dirty, why wait to take action to restore its condition with a professional power wash? Here are just a few reasons why regular power washing is important for your driveway:

Your driveway is a major contributor to your home’s curb appeal. A dirty driveway has the potential to hurt the overall exterior aesthetic of your home. Why invest time and money in cleaning and maintaining your home’s siding and roof if your driveway is still a negative focal point? Make sure your driveway does not become an eyesore.

Your driveway can extend your home’s outdoor space. Think of your driveway as an outdoor recreation room. A driveway can be transformed into a dining area with folding tables and chairs for an outdoor graduation party or summer barbecue. Children can play with bubbles or sidewalk chalk. There are many uses for your driveway during the warmer months of the year. Keep it clean for all of these activities.

Left untreated, stains can weaken your driveway, making it more susceptible to cracking, discoloration, or other deterioration. A professional power washing service begins with a thorough power washing to remove all of those built up contaminants, then follows the cleaning with a sealant to provide additional protection. This sealer will prevent your concrete driveway from absorbing future contaminants, strengthening it against future discoloration or deterioration.

Are you ready to restore your driveway with a professional power wash? Call StarCare Power Wash today!

Article Source: https://www.perfectpowerwash.com/reasons-to-power-wash-your-driveway/

Pressure Washing To Clean An Aggregate and Brick Patio - StarCare Powerwash

Greg with StarCare Powerwash snows how they can help make an older aggregate and brick patio look much better. See more at http://wwwstarcarepowerwash.com