South Eastern Connecticut Landscaping

Pressure Wash Driveway: Your Clean Road at Home

You can be meticulous with raking your leaves, trimming your grass and keeping your garden beautiful, but there are some parts of your outdoor areas that you really don’t have a lot of control over. For example, the paved areas tend to get dirty and grimy over time no matter how frequently you sweep or use a garden hose.

You may ask what is the solution for cleaning dirty concrete, cement or asphalt paths and patios? Frequent hosing is more likely to cause mold, moss and mildew to grow than to make those surfaces look really great. For a deeper clean you could get down on your hands and knees and scrub the whole area but that would require a huge amount of time and physical exertion.

Happily there is a much simpler and very effective way you get these areas clean as they can be; you can pressure wash your driveway and other paved areas. The process is simple and gives great results.

Of course in order to pressure wash your driveway you are going to have to get a pressure washer. You will need a pretty strong one, so many of the smaller home versions might not deliver the results you are looking for. You want to find a pressure washer that sprays with at least 3000 psi. This high pressure is strong enough to lift the types of dirt and stains that you are trying to get rid of.

For the type of sludgy, oil stain dirt your car can leave behind, a hot water pressure washer is what you will need to handle the job. Some of your stains may be so bad that you will need to use a cleaner to pre-treat them. You can also use a cleaning solution for the whole surface if it is very dirty or you want to get it extra clean.

It is important to cover the entire surface as you pressure wash your driveway since any little spot that you miss will be obvious once the area has dried. For a very dirty surface you may want to go over it all twice. The first run through can loosen up the dirt and it can be washed away in the second go.

You will be pleased with the look of your newly pressure washed driveway. However, keep in mind that from the moment you finish getting it clean it will start collecting dirt and grime again. For this reason it is a good idea to consider sealing it again to protect the surface from future stains and make your next cleaning session easier.

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Most of today’s homes have crawl spaces, but few of us ever venture up there. No one really likes to think of crawling up into that tight space, but there may be a few reasons to consider it. It is important to schedule an annual checkup for your crawlspace, since this can help you spot potential signs of trouble and get them stopped before they become larger issues. Let’s take a look at how to inspect your crawlspace for a very common problem and how to fight it.

If you live in a humid area, or your area gets a lot of rain, you may notice a mildew smell in the house that you can’t get rid of. Chances are, your crawlspaces have become damp and the mildew is forming up there. It is important to get rid of this problem as quickly as possible, since mold could also be forming inside that crawlspace. Take this opportunity to check your crawlspace and see what is going on up there.

Once you’ve determined that your crawlspace is indeed a bit damp, there are a few things that you will need to do. First, it is important to ventilate the area. Most crawlspaces are closed up all year round and little air can circulate through there. This creates the ideal breeding ground for mold and mildew spores. If your home does not have a vent, you will need to install one.

You can find appropriate vents at your local hardware store, and the process of installing them is quite easy. Locate a spot on an exterior wall and cut a hole through to the outside. Place the vent in, and properly secure it. You now have a way to get rid of that moisture buildup!

This will help, but you may also need to see what is causing dampness in your crawlspace. If the mildew is not severe, it may just be the side effect of living in a moist climate. If it is severe, chances are you may have a leak. You will need to inspect all the walls inside that crawlspace and look for any leaks that may be occurring. If you do find a leak, repair it immediately. Overtime, this can lead to serious water damage on your ceilings and walls.

Lastly, it is a very good idea to completely clean out your crawlspace. If you are storing excess insulation or even household items up there, remove them and find a new storage space. Insulation is a particularly nasty culprit when it comes to mildew and can be the source of a lot of mildew odor problems. If your crawlspace is permanently smelly, get fiberglass insulation that has a vapor barrier. Install this throughout the crawlspace, with the vapor barrier facing the top of the crawlspace. This will help keep the odors inside the space instead of in your home. This is a great solution if the damage has already been done and you need to get rid of the smell of mildew in your home.

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