Buildings constructed with stone, concrete, and masonry are well worth the investment, giving their owners and the people who work or live in them years of dependable service. As any owner or manager knows, though, over time, commercial stone buildings can lose their exterior appeal due to age, weather, and many other factors.
While all commercial building restoration services call for a certain degree of experience, stone cleaning and sealing also require significant knowledge and expertise in working with different types of stone, concrete, and masonry.
Before sealing a building’s structure to protect it from water, air, and pest intrusion, you first need to clean it thoroughly, which can include high-pressure, low-pressure, or no-pressure washing techniques. Presto Restoration takes great pride in the commercial building restoration work we do, including cleaning and sealing services.
The Difference Between High, Low, and No Pressure Washing
A thorough pressure wash improves and maintains the value of your property. It lets people know you care about their safety and well-being and leaves a good impression on customers, employees, and tenants.
Pressure washing is the spraying of water at different pressure levels to remove imperfections like dirt, grime, dust, mold, efflorescence, and more. Manual scrubbing is rarely enough to get rid of most of the contaminants that cake and bake on a building’s exterior. High or low-pressure washing using the correct chemical product thoroughly removes even the most stubborn pollutants and impurities.
Our crews regularly use pressure washing to clean facades, walls, sidewalks, and sidings to keep a property clean. Which pressure level is used depends on the level of contamination and the facade’s material.
- Low-pressure washing uses a pressure of 5000 PSI or pounds per square inch or lower.
- High-pressure washing has a PSI rating of between 5000 and 10,000.
- No-pressure washing is exactly what it sounds like.
Another technique, water jetting, uses pressure between 10,000 and 25,000 PSI and is powerful enough to cut through rock and steel! It’s seldom if ever used in commercial building cleaning.
No matter which pressure level is used to clean your building, it’s worth scheduling cleaning services before you notice significant grime and dirt, ensuring your building always looks its best.
Deciding What Right For Your Building
Aside from the level of dirtiness, it’s also not safe to high-pressure wash all stone surfaces. And some cleaning chemicals can be too harsh for different stone surfaces. Each clean and seal project Presto does is tailored to the specific needs of your property. Before we recommend a particular cleaning method, we assess your building by:
- Looking at the type of material(s) it’s constructed with.
- Determining whether the sealing process is more for aesthetics or waterproofing needs.
- Viewing the building as a whole.
Only then do we propose a cleaning and sealing approach we believe is best for improving your building and parking structure’s appearance. For instance, we sometimes use pressure washing without any chemical cleaners, particularly for more sensitive materials. Instead, in those cases, we prefer a combo of low-pressure washing and chemicals. If we need to loosen oils and grease stains or discolorations, we’ll use one of our environmentally friendly, proprietary cleaners to do the job. Separate cleaners are also used for rust, efflorescence, mold, and algae.
Benefits of Sealing a Building After Cleaning
Since stone is a porous material, it’s critical to seal it after cleaning to prevent contaminants from soaking into the surface. And because mold can start to grow and spread within 48 hours of stone becoming wet, it’s best to do the sealing immediately.
Presto’s professional sealing services tightly close your building’s “pores,” preventing future water and air intrusion that can weaken the structure. They also help prevent:
- Organic and non-organic oil and stain penetration.
- Staining from adjacent materials leaching minerals.
- Damage to steel components.
You’ll also need less frequent pressure washing done, which can be a real cost saver. We also recommend caulking your building’s control joints, which helps maintain the structure’s architectural integrity while keeps water, air, and insects from entering the building.
Presto Restoration’s High-Pressure Cleaning & Sealing Services
It can save you time, money, and frustration to choose a commercial building restoration company that specializes in both cleaning and sealing services. Presto Restoration has extensive experience in both services and knows how to identify the best cleaning and sealing methods for your building’s specific needs. All of our cleaning and sealing solutions are designed to extend the life of your commercial building, parking garage, or other structure while keeping them looking attractive for years to come.
If you own or manage a commercial building in need of professional cleaning and sealing services, we can help. For more than 25 years, Presto Restoration’s skilled technicians have provided industry-leading commercial building cleaning and sealing services across the country. Let them do the same for you! Call 1800-785-9227 or request a quote.
