Driveway Cleaning and sealing can keep your driveway looking great year after year. When you drive over the rough stuff that gets tracked into your driveway, your tires carry grime and mud and transfer it to the driveway even when you get home. Sealing allows easier cleaning and keeps future stains from forming. Aside from protecting your driveway from the damaging effects of salt, it also safeguards them against any acidic salts you might use on them.
Power Washing: Power washing is the simplest form of driveway cleaning and sealing, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not effective. In fact, when done properly, power washing can be more effective than using chemicals to clean and seal the concrete. Here’s how the power washing process works.
Mixing the Right Contractor’s Blend: Depending on the type of surface you have, this can vary. Driveway cleaning and sealing should be done on a regular basis (about once or twice a year). If you’re working on a new driveway, start out with a lower strength water sealer and use a truck-mounted power washer to increase the block paving’s penetration. Once you’ve honed in your driving skills, you can increase the strength of your contractor’s blend and use a stronger detergent to penetrate and remove dirt and grease from concrete.
Timing for a Power Wash: The timing for your power washing depends on whether your driveway is concrete or brick. Concrete drives are usually handled by a pressure washer that pumps a strong jet of water at the driveway’s surface. Brick surfaces usually need a secondary cleaning using a power sprayer (that’s set to “rapid contact” which lets the water to penetrate deeper into the concrete and lift dirt and grime with greater force). Power washing should be scheduled about half a year before the annual street paving to give the concrete a chance to dry.
How Much? Where Do You Drive? Power washing and resealing differ in cost and intensity. If you have a smaller driveway, or you only do simple tasks like cleaning and sealing, then a single gallon of hot water should suffice; if you have an irregular or large surface area, a larger truck-mounted power washer is recommended.
Cost and intensity also depend on how often you will perform these services and for what reasons. Driveway cleaning and sealing can add years to the life of your driveways and patio pavers. It can prevent the development of harmful chemicals in your yard by keeping out weeds, sand and debris that can cause erosion and pool deck cleaning. And, most importantly, it can provide a healthy, attractive appearance for your home. When done properly, your driveway cleaning and sealing will not only add value to your home but keep you comfortable, too!
