Paver sealing isn’t always on a homeowner’s list of priorities when it comes to home improvement and repair. However, this is not a task that you want to overlook or put off indefinitely. Paver cleaning and sealing provides many benefits for your property and can even save you money in the long run.
Paver sealing wards off stains and ensures stones, concrete, and brick surfaces retain their color and appearance. Neglecting regular paving cleaning and sealing allows for erosion, moss and mold building, discoloration, weed growth, and other damage. Regular sealing also helps keep pavers in place and helps cut down on your needed cleaning schedule.
While regular paver cleaning and sealing offers many benefits, it’s vital that a homeowner leave this work to the pros rather than trying to DIY the job. It’s also vital to note that a standard garden hose is often insufficient for proper paver cleaning while scrub brushes and other equipment are sometimes too harsh!
To ensure you’re keeping all areas of your property’s exterior in good repair and looking its best, and are preventing otherwise avoidable damage, note some vital information about paver cleaning and sealing including why you’ll want to call a power washing company for this work. You can then discuss your concerns and questions with a pressure washing contractor and know that your beautiful patio, walkways, and other surfaces are getting the topnotch care and attention they deserve!
Note a few added tips about paver cleaning and sealing, including its many advantages and benefits for the pavers themselves and your property, along with some reasons why it’s best left to the pros.
Paver cleaning and sealing might seem like a relatively straightforward job, and many home improvement and hardware stores sell or rent pressure washing equipment, exterior scrub brushes, and sealant. However, this task is often far more complicated than homeowners realize!
One reason to leave this work to the pros is that too much pressure from a power washing wand can etch, scratch, or even dislodge paver stones, and make cracks and chips larger. Even if you use the correct pressure for the surface needing cleaning, holding the power washing wand at an incorrect angle can mean pulling stones out of position or creating lots of messy splatter.
Proper paver cleaning also takes some skill and knowhow, to reach ground-in dirt and debris lodged deep in those pores and crevices of stone and other surfaces. An exterior scrub brush might be overly harsh, scratching softer surfaces, while not enough scrubbing can mean leaving dirt behind. The right detergents and equipment, along with the skills and experience needed to use them properly, make quick work of thorough and effective paver cleaning.
A pressure washing contractor near you will also know the right cleansers and materials for killing developing mold, moss, mildew, or algae, for a safe and clean surface, as well as the proper sealant for various stone and concrete surfaces. Their expertise ensures a safe and hygienic environment free of harmful mold spores and other such irritants.
Most homes need paver cleaning and sealing every other year or perhaps every three years at most. However, some properties might benefit from more regular paver cleaning and sealing as well as other exterior pressure washing services. For example, homes in the tropics or near a beach might see more airborne sand, silt, and other gritty debris that need removal every year.
Airborne pollutants also settle onto outside surfaces and create a dirty, unkempt look while damaging paver stones and other surfaces. If your area has higher air pollution levels, is located near a production facility or other such business, or is near a busy highway or airport, then consider annual paver cleaning and sealing.
As sealing protects paver stones and other materials from excessive wear and tear, note if you might need more consistent sealing for added protection. For instance, if your kids are always riding their bikes over a patio or if you have heavy patio furniture you’re always dragging over those stones or bricks, your exterior surfaces might benefit from more consistent cleaning and sealing!
Exterior concrete, brick, and stone aren’t the only materials outside your house in need of regular power washing and sealing! Pressure washing various surfaces around your property protects areas from damage, improves air quality, and keeps your home looking its best. As an example, roof washing removes damaging storm debris, air pollution residues, and algae, preventing premature damage to shingles, flashing, and other materials.
Exterior wall washing also means removing layers of harmful dirt, dust, mud, and lawn care chemicals, as well as mold growing along walls and roof eaves. You’re left with a cleaner, more attractive home and fewer bothersome irritants when you invest in regular exterior house washing. Pressure washing also reveals areas in need of repairs, such as chipped and broken brick, dented or rusted siding, peeling paint, and the like.
Professional gutter cleaning is also vital for every home, as gutters direct rainwater away from the house and especially its foundation. Clogged gutters allow rainwater to run down a home’s exterior walls and then collect around the foundation, risking damaged brick and concrete as well as ruined landscaping! Regular gutter cleaning removes storm residues, dirt, mud, silt, and other debris, keeping gutters functioning as they should.
A homeowner might also leave window washing to the professionals rather than trying to tackle this work on their own, and schedule this work regularly. Gritty debris as well as abrasive dust, dried cobwebs, air pollution residues, and other such debris etch and scratch exterior glass, leading to long-term damage. Professional window cleaning removes that debris, protecting glass while allowing you to stay safe on the ground!
Can you power wash gravel driveways and other areas?
Only a power washing contractor near you can evaluate a gravel surface and note if pressure washing is the best choice. Some gravel areas are compacted enough that there is little to no risk of loosening those stones with power washing. Soft wash systems also provide a thorough yet gentle clean for exterior surfaces, and might offer the solution you need for your property.
Does paver sealing make them slick and unsafe?
Sealants are not a wax or epoxy so they’re not slick and slippery. Also, a paver cleaning and sealing contractor typically applies only a thin coat over stones and concrete so there is no risk of slipping. As sealants discourage mold, moss, mildew, algae, and weed growth, this also means a safer surface underfoot than unsealed stones and other surfaces!