For many Canadian homeowners, the sight of a powered pressure washer in action is a familiar and comforting one – after all, there is something very satisfying about spraying away grime and dirt in seconds. The conversation surrounding exterior cleaning has changed. It is no longer about who has the most powerful equipment, who can afford the cheapest labor, or even who can pretend to be the eco-friendly option. It is a conversation about science, technology, materials, processes, and ultimately results. Furthermore, it represents a far more holistic approach to exterior cleaning, one that is centered more on immediate results and long-term preservation. If you are in the business of building equity in your home and are considering exterior cleaning across Canada, the conversation you need to have is with a pressure washing company.
The Canadian Home: A Study in Seasonal Assault
For Canada, power washing is not a choice but a necessity. It’s as simple as this: on any given building, there are four forces at play. There is the building itself and three types of foliage: mold, mildew, and algae.
The Foliage
To start, let’s examine the foliage and look at how it affects the building. The majority of homes on the Lower Mainland have cedar shakes, which, in most cases, have gaps between them. This gives the perfect starting ground for moss to invade and take root. Over time, the moss will continue to grow until there is no space left between the shakes, and it will begin to damage the wood itself.
Black Streaks on the Roof
Other structures, like brick, will experience the same issue. Black streaks on the roof are a sure sign that cyanobacteria are present on the north side. This type of bacterium forms in dark, damp areas of a roof, and one of the most common types that forms is a black algae. Eventually, this black algae dries into hard-to-scrub streaks. Once these are gone, the spores can fall off and propagate onto other areas of a roof or the sides of a building. And then there is mildew, which forms in damp areas where the sun will not penetrate. This is particularly true in areas between walls that are not properly flashed at the eave. In these areas, the mold and mildew growth will intensify and create large unsightly areas if not cleaned.
The Cold Months
Sometimes it feels like summers and winters are never-ending. With the arrival of winter comes freeze/thaw cycles, which can literally cause damage to your structure in a matter of hours. When moisture enters the myriad micro-cracks in the concrete on your driveway, under the vinyl siding of your home, or in the porous wood of your deck, severe damage can occur. During these cold months, the water in the cracks freezes and then expands as the ice forms. This places incredible stress on your structure and can widen small cracks into wide fissures at an alarming rate. So, with spring upon us, we start to deal with the filthy remains of winter. Who wants to spend their weekend in rubber gloves and goggles washing salt, pollen, and the remaining winter dirt from their decking and house siding? Nobody.
The Power Wash Difference for Key Canadian Surfaces
The advantages of this system are even clearer when you consider individual elements of the house, such as the windows, doors, and roof. The average home needs to be painted once every 8 to 12 years, or more often if it’s exposed to high winds or storms. New construction homes often have their paint taken off the walls as part of finishing them out before the homeowners take possession. A couple of rounds of pressure washing can help get black mold and algae streaks under control.
This option works for roofs with asphalt shingles, which are the most common type. Granules on these materials protect them from the sun and add color. The power washing gently removes mold and algae stains without affecting the shingles’ surface, helping protect them from further damage.
Vinyl siding on homes has gaps that allow it to expand and contract with varying weather conditions. Pressure washing does not cause water to invade between.
Wood decks and fences require maintenance to look their best and to provide a safe, healthy environment for everyone to enjoy. It is a fibrous and very absorbent material. Pressure washing not only gently cleans the wood fibers but also creates a smooth surface ready for staining or sealing.
Concrete surfaces may be able to bear a higher load. Washing your driveways and walkways is still the best way to remove oil stains and ground-in dirt with powerful, task-specific chemistry. It emulsifies and lifts out stains for a deeper, more uniform clean, often without the associated surface damage.
A Partnership in Property Preservation
When it comes to choosing a cleaning method for your home, it really comes down to how much you value and care about it. Do you want to take the easy way out and just paint over problems in order to get by for a little while, or do you want to invest the time and money in to make sure that your home is properly cared for and will last for years to come? There’s really no comparison – pressure washing your home with a professional, trained, and insured team of technicians is going to leave your home looking, feeling, and standing taller than you ever thought possible.
You must understand these factors:
- the challenges of your local weather;
- the specific issues that pertain to the surfaces that make up your home;
- the chemistry required to safely and effectively clean those surfaces.
The pressure washing company has already given considerable thought to the entire process, including where potential water runoff may land, how to keep your family and pets safe, and a myriad of structural issues concerning your home.
You may be thinking of the ice, snow, and cold that cover parts of Canada during the winter months as weather. But to truly clean your home, you need to consider all the harsh elements it’s exposed to – including the extreme cold. This is more than just an optional step – it’s clean to the next season. It’s the art of using knowledge, forethought, and the clever application of science to remove all debris, bacteria, and harsh chemicals that can penetrate surfaces and fixtures during the cold months. And to have a home that is not only clean when the thaw finally begins, but also healthier and better defended for years to come.
