Guest article provided by: superiorexterior.cleaning
Owning a home comes with a long list of maintenance jobs to keep on top of. So why should you add exterior maintenance to this list? In a nutshell, maintaining the exterior of your home is essential. Without such maintenance your pride and joy can look dirty, unmaintained, unappealing and can decrease the longevity of your home exterior resulting in potentially costly repairs down the track.
Exterior maintenance encompasses anything on the outside of your property that requires maintenance. This can occur periodically, such as having to mow the lawn fortnightly or a once-off job that may last multiple years. Exterior maintenance when done well has the potential to greatly lift your curb appeal and show that you care for your property. Exterior maintenance can also reduce the need to undertake costly repairs. For example, if you let mold and lichen eat away at your roof instead of cleaning them off, then in a couple of years time you may have to replace a section of your roof. Similarly, if you let bird waste sit on your glass or paint work overtime this can cause permanent staining or flaking of your paintwork.
Concrete, Paver and Driveway Cleaning
Getting your exterior flooring surfaces pressure cleaned works wonders to the curb appeal of your property. A pressure clean is best practice to remove years of dirt, mold and other organic growth from your concrete, pavers or driveway. Undertaking this maintenance can also increase the longevity of such surfaces for many years. Especially if you opt for a sealing service whereby a sealer is applied to your newly cleaned exterior surface. This protects it from weathering and stains for at least the next five years. Concrete, paver and driveway cleaning is a big job and luckily only needs to be cleaned every couple of years. Although this can vary greatly depending on the surface and weather in your area. Many individuals opt to engage a local pressure cleaning company to undertake this maintenance. These companies have better equipment, high quality products and are well trained to take care of your surfaces. They are also able to complete the job much quicker due to their commercial equipment, and more than likely this will result in a better outcome.
Window Cleaning
Unfortunately, it only takes one rain for your clean windows to become dirty again. As a result Forbes suggest window cleaning is a maintenance job that can be completed each season. With a good quality squeegee, water and disinfectant you will be able to clean the exterior of your windows quite well. If you have windows on a second or third level this may require a professional window cleaner. Professional window cleaners may even have a RO or DI system which filters water to apply pure water to your windows. This means that the window cleaner does not have to remove the water from the window with a squeegee as it will dry and not leave water marks. Therefore, windows on higher levels can be cleaned using an extendable pole from the floor. This means the cost and time will be reduced, which is great news for you!
Garden Maintenance
Depending on the rainfall and types of plants you have around your property the frequency of garden maintenance can vary greatly. Eco Green suggests a well-watered lawn should be mowed once a week. Bushes may need trimming every 2-3 months and weeding may have to occur anywhere from daily, yes daily, to every couple of weeks depending on the persistence of your weeds and products used to hinder them. There are many products on offer to reduce weed growth including chemical pesticides, however it is recommended to use an organic mulch such as sugar cane mulch. This holds water in the ground, hinders weed growth and feeds your soil as it slowly breaks down. This will serve to vastly increase your soil quality compared to the application of chemical pesticides. Garden maintenance is a joy for some and a chore for others. Your view of this will greatly influence whether you undertake such maintenance or call in a gardening professional. Gardeners often have better equipment and know some tips and tricks to leave your garden looking great. It is a good idea to call in a gardener when wanting large bushes, shrubs or trees cut down or trimmed.
Roof Cleaning
When was the last time your roof was cleaned? If more than a few years have passed, it’s been too long! In damp climates it is especially easy for mold and lichen to grow on your roof. Not only can these look unsightly they also produce mold spores which overtime can be harmful to your health if inhaled. Mold and lichen can also damage the paint on your roof reducing its longevity. Depending on whether your roof is tiled, clad or is made of another surface will determine the type of clean it receives. Applying pressure to an old tiled roof is not always a good idea as this can damage the tiles and allow water into your roof cavity. If this is the case a clean from scaffolding or a boom lift is ideal as then a contractor does not need to walk on your roof and this reduces the potential for broken tiles. If you have an iron roof this can be walked on and pressure cleaned. Cleaning a roof yourself is a big job and can be potentially dangerous. It is recommended to contact a roof cleaning professional as they bring equipment, have experience with cleaning rooves, are likely to get better results than cleaning yourself and will take appropriate precautions.
General Maintenance
There are many other areas encompassed in the exterior of your property that require maintenance. This may include cleaning your fence, cleaning your gutters, periodically checking for cracks or damage and repairing such areas. And well, the list can go on for a while! It is a good approach to regularly walk around your property and inspect from top to bottom to ensure everything is in good condition and stay on top of any maintenance requirements as they arise. Overall, the amount of general exterior maintenance to undertake depends on your personal preference for how often you think things should get cleaned, the weather and location of your property and the amount of exterior areas in and around your home.
Upkeeping the exterior of your home shows that you care for your property, improves your curb appeal and increases the longevity of your exterior assets. Take a walk around your property today and inspect the exterior. Do you have some areas that can do with some exterior maintenance?
By Corbin Mason-Smith of Superior Exterior Cleaning https://www.superiorexterior.cleaning/