Risky Business, Otherwise Known As Power Washing

You have a problem.

There are deep stains all over your building’s facade and you know that pressure washing won’t be enough to knock them out. So what to do? Your first thought might be to step it up a notch and power wash everything instead. Though power washing is portrayed as a quick, easy alternative to pressure washing to get rid of extreme dirt and grime on your property’s exterior, we’re urging you to NOT make this risky move. Power washing can cause an array of damage to your structures, as well as other negatives. But even if you think the job you have is too extreme and power washing is the only way to remove every speck of dirt from your property, hold off for a moment. Power washing can be risky and there are better methods available when it comes to keeping your buildings clean.

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Power washing is similar to pressure washing in most ways. There’s a cleaning machine connected to a hose & nozzle, a water-based cleaning solution is shot through the apparatus and pointed at structures, and the targeted area is cleansed. Power washing adds heat and increases pressure as it sprays, making it a much more intense process. The terms power & pressure are generally used interchangeably, but the additional heat and the higher output pressure of a power washer defines it from its pressure washer counterpart.

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Pressure washing alone can cause small fractures in building structures to grow, wastes an extreme amount of water, and requires repeated use. The intensity & heat of a power washer compounds these issues further. The exterior surfaces of buildings are made of a variety of materials, which means they will deteriorate over time depending on the climate in which they’re located and the maintenance of these structures. Homes.com, a marketplace connecting agents, buyers, and agents, posted a guide for those preparing for power washing endeavors, “...the idea of a good steam cleaning of your house, deck, driveway or other household features is appealing.… But, it’s not really the best choice for things like brick or concrete, or masonry. All that cleaning power comes with a price. Power washing can be very harsh on those surfaces.” And where pressure washing might slightly affect paint or other protective coatings, power washing may strip these protectants completely. Sandstone, asphalt roofing, stained wood, older structures- these all collapse under the intensity of a power washer. The heat of the solution, along with the potent chemicals used, will cause distinct damage to these building materials and more.? And when that damage occurs, there’s no reversing it. There’s either a costly repair, an increase in your property’s insurance premium, or a combination thereof.?

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Power washing always carries a risk. Protective gear is a requirement for power washing projects, even for a ‘quick job’, and forgetting that equipment may cost you more than time or money. The power washing guide from Homes.com also states, “While it might not seem like that thin stream of water could be harmful to humans, it really is quite dangerous. It comes out of the end of that wand at up to 2,000 pounds of force. It’s enough to send chips of concrete and stone ricocheting at you or someone else with the force and deadliness of a bullet.” If bullet-speed debris isn’t risky enough for you, there are a myriad of other risks involved with power washing. If an outdoor electric outlet is hit while you power wash, there is a high chance of electrocution. The chemical runoff of most power washing can seep into groundwater and not only kill plant and animal life, but humans could be poisoned as well. Getting hit with the stream of water from a power washer directly could rip through the skin and even kill someone. The harsh, abrasive nature of power washing is often too intense and is rarely, if ever, worth the risks.

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But you still have your problem- those stains on your building! If pressure and power washing are both wasteful and dangerous, how are you going to keep your properties and structures clean without breaking the bank? That’s where we come in.

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Citra-Shield is a no-rinse solution that works similarly to a biocide. It’s safe and effective for removing stains caused by mold, mildew, algae, moss, and lichen stains from exterior surfaces without the use of hazardous chemicals or the damaging effects of pressure cleaning. It’s biodegradable, non-corrosive, reduces water use, and eliminates the need to power wash. There’s no scrubbing with Citra-Shield; simply apply the product and watch over time as your buildings reveal their natural gleam. No washing, no scrubbing, non-corrosive, no more stains or mold- once applied, Citra-Shield digests the organic matter that lives in the pores of your structures’ surfaces and builds a shield to prevent future growths and stains. All without the risky business of bullet-speed debris!

Still not convinced? Check out this week’s Client Testimonial from Ed Torroni of Collier County Parks & Recreation:

“It had been over 5 years since opening the facility here at NCRP and the shade structures were definitely in need of cleaning. They were covered with mold, mildew and fungus…After the conclusion of the project, I and all that work and play here at the North Collier Regional Park were amazed at the difference…The mold, mildew, dirt, etc. is gone… I recommend Citra-Shield to anyone without reservation."

Want more Citra-Shield Content? Visit our website at https://citrashield.com/

Article Source: Homes.com Blog “7 Things You Should Know Before You Power Wash Anything”, Jan. 17, 2018; https://www.homes.com/blog/2018/01/7-things-you-should-know-before-you-power-wash-anything/