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Tip of the Month:

October 2008

Rain drops keep fallin’ on my head…..occasionally. Ok, the fact is that generally speaking we don’t get much rain in Southern California and that is about all the water that most buildings get on them. Just like everything else that in continuously exposed to the elements, buildings accumulate dirt, debris and if close to the ocean, salts. You may notice that after a rain, stains are created by the dirt that is washed off horizontal surfaces where it has built up over time. By pressure washing the building, you can not only get the get the dirt off those surfaces but wash it completely off the building, avoiding some staining.

After time and exposure to sun and weather, paint begins to chalk, giving your buildings a dull or hazy appearance. This is a result of oxidation, a breakdown of the chemicals in the paint. Pressure washing will eliminate a lot of the chalking, making your building look almost new again. Eliminating the chalking is one of the main reasons we pressure wash prior to painting. Pressure washing may also expose weaknesses in the building’s surface such as dry rot or failing stucco. This may help you to attack these problems before they cause significant and costly damage.

Many buildings do not have rain gutters to properly drain water off the building surfaces. As a result, water runs down the vertical surfaces which absorb the moisture. The frequent exposure to moisture in a favorable medium leads to mold and the black stains on the building. Pressure washing can remove most of the mold and stains with just water but in some cases, a mild bleach solution can be used to further reduce the staining. It’s a lot cheaper to pressure wash every 12-18 months than to re-paint!

With the rainy season on the way, make sure your rain gutters are cleaned out. Dirty water that overflows a clogged gutter may also stain your buildings! The attached picture shows what not to do!

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