For many homeowners, cleaning their driveway isn’t a priority until it gets so unsightly that the neighbors begin to notice it or when it brings down the resale value of the property. Unfortunately, by that time the driveway, be it made of concrete, asphalt, brick, or stone, is surprisingly tough to clean and costs the homeowner a great deal of money to get it back in shape. There are benefits to be had to not only clean the driveway regularly but to use a pressure washer. Here are five of them:
Prevents Fungi
Moss, lichen, algae, and other fungi seem to love to grow through cracks in asphalt and concrete. Though the lines of mossy green against the black of an asphalt driveway may be aesthetically interesting, fungi need to be removed as soon as possible. These growths can corrode and damage a driveway over time and can make it hazardous and expensive to repair in the end.
Keeps Down Weeds
Like fungi, weeds also take advantage of cracks in a driveway. Though fungi cause their own problems when it comes to the health of a driveway, lots of weeds have deep roots that can enlarge the cracks or even cause the material of the driveway to heave. Cleaning away any dirt or soil in the driveway leaves a weed seed with nowhere to germinate.
Enhanced Safety
If they’re ignored, some stains and fungi can make a driveway, which needs to be rough to provide some traction for feet and tires, more slippery than it should be. However, the driveway shouldn’t be too rough. Pits and cracks and potholes can become slip and fall hazards, especially in the winter.
Removes Stains
Stains on a driveway are inevitable, as the coming and going of a vehicle will put down dirt, grit, oil, and other substances. Though most stains are just unpleasant to look at, some can, like fungus, start to eat into the driveway. It’s a good habit to remove stains regularly.
Improves Curb Appeal
Curb appeal is the bright, attractive face that the property presents to the street as a person walks past. It can seem trivial when compared to the other reasons a homeowner should keep their driveway clean, but it’s not. There are some homeowner’s associations that will contact the homeowner and insist that they make their driveway less of an eyesore. Of course, a cracked, potholed and otherwise dirty driveway makes it harder to sell the house when the time comes.
About Pressure Washing
Though washing the driveway down with the garden hose or even getting into cracks with a wire brush are good practices, if a homeowner really wants to get their driveway clean, they should consider pressure washing. Pressure washing delivers blasts of water under very high pressure. At such pressure, the water can knock out dirt, grime, fungi, and other things that make a driveway unsightly. A lot of our customers at BAM Pressure cleaning Melbourne want to know the difference between power washing and pressure washing. The only difference is that power washing uses hot water.
As the benefits of keeping a driveway clean, the benefits of pressure washing are many. Among other things, it saves the homeowner time and some rather intensive labor. Not only this but manually hosing and scrubbing a driveway still doesn’t get it as clean as it should be because the cleaner simply can’t get at the dirt found in the tiniest cracks in the driveway material.
Pressure washing is also cost-effective. It will save a homeowner potentially thousands of dollars if the grime or algae or corrosive stains get to the point where the driveway needs major repairs or even needs to be completely replaced. Pressure washing is also eco-friendly because, after all, it just uses water delivered at high pressure. Homeowners who try to clean their driveway by hand sometimes use harsh chemicals that can be washed into the sewer system and end up in drinking water.
Another benefit of pressure washing is that extends the life of the driveway. A driveway that is clean simply lasts longer when it’s not subject to fungi, stains, and other problems that can shorten its working life.
Autobiography
Jim Pulman has extensive knowledge and experience in Home Building, Construction, and Design. He writes articles in his free time and partners with content creators to share his expertise with the online community
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