As winter sets in, you need to prepare your house adequately to withstand the harsh, cold months. One way to do that is by winter-proofing your home's exterior.
Winters in New York can be especially dark and cold with your home's exterior most likely to take the hardest beating. From Long Island to Suffolk County or Nassau County, the winter doesn't discriminate. As such, you must take certain deliberate steps to mitigate the ravaging effects of the harsh colds.
What happens when you underestimate winter and ignore your home maintenance? Once the winter is over, you are likely to start counting your losses in the form of roof damage, exterior and siding damage, and moisture damage.
Among the consequences of such damage is spending more on repairs and replacements. You'll actually incur a lot more than what you would have spent on maintenance and winter-proofing.
A simple maintenance practice like power washing your home's exterior regularly costs unbelievably low. The trick lies in finding the right Long Island pressure washing team. The right cleaning team is one that provides the highest caliber of residential cleaning while engaging the safest and most efficient procedures.
So, how can partner with a reliable pressure washing team in New York help to set your home ready for the winter? Here are a few useful tips.
1. Inspecting your home's exterior
Many homeowners tend to give more attention to their home's interior and ignore the exterior. Well, newsflash. When winter strikes, the first point of contact is the exterior. This means that your home is more susceptible to damage from the outside moving inwards.
So, if you hadn't done it already, it is time to add the home's exterior features to your home maintenance checklist. Without a sound exterior, your home's structure and safety may become problematic over time.
Before the heavy snow descends on your roof, take some time and walk around the property. Inspect everything including your yard, driveway, and sidewalks. As you take the tour, keep an eye out for areas that could potentially devastate your home's integrity if not properly taken care of before winter. Note them down.
Some of these areas include the gutters, downspouts, roof, drainage, decks, patios, chimney, as well as driveways. Identify the areas that need a quick fix or simple maintenance, such as cleaning with pressure washing to remove stains, loose paint, mold, mildew, or debris, and take immediate action.
These simple maintenance practices are what keep small home issues from worsening during the winter. If you don't know where to start with the maintenance, consult a certified and experienced Long Island pressure washing professional for quality advice.
2. Preparing for a thorough roof cleaning
Whatever you do, never wait until winter to clean your roof! Preferably, schedule a roof cleaning with a qualified Long Island power washing expert in late summer or fall to allow it ample time to completely dry post-cleaning.
Roof cleaning with pressure washing is integral in preventing mold, mildew, and dirt buildup on the roof or its components. A thorough roof cleaning exercise will also help you unmask issues with your roof that you would not have found out any other way. Since pressure washing doesn't discriminate, it will reveal even the tiniest cracks on your roof or leaks into your house.
That's precisely why power cleaning should be left to the professionals. If done wrongly, it can result in more damage or even widen the cracks to pave way for moisture damage. An expert knows how to do it with the right amount of caution and tools while applying an extra safety layer to make your roof winter-ready.
Roof damage can be costly both to your house and to your health. Don't take that chance if you are not properly equipped or trained.
3. Checking your gutters and downspouts
Many homeowners downplay gutter cleaning as a miniature task that they can save for later. As the main system that drains water away from your roof and siding, gutters and downspouts should be assigned the same importance you assign to your roof.
You can clean the gutters yourself or if ladders make you shiver, hire a licensed Long Island pressure washing professional to do it for you. Failure to clean your gutters and downspouts in time leads to clogged drainage. The aftermath of clogged gutters is a leaky roof, basement flooding, weak home foundation as well as the formation of ice dams in the cold winter months.
Just to give you some perspective, moisture damage is such a huge monster in the United States that it affects at least 14,000 homeowners each day. The problem commonly stems from overlooking seemingly simple home maintenance routines, such as cleaning the gutters and downspouts.
Before it gets to that, power cleaning the gutters and downspouts before winter arrives can help greatly in reducing the odds of clogging. Gutters and downspouts are mostly clogged by debris, leaves, loose roofing granules, and animal droppings. As a result, one powerful spray is enough to clear the entire drainage system.
4. Examining the siding
Most homes in the United States are made of vinyl sidings. Regardless of the siding material used, inspecting this important protective part is a must prior to the winter months.
If you want some inspiration to take care of your siding, think of it not only as an element of your home's curb appeal but also as an insulation jacket for your house. That means the siding plays a crucial role in keeping you and your home warm and protected under the harshness of winter.
Just like in the roof inspection, keep an eye out for holes, gaps, cracks, dents, and other defects or signs of damage when inspecting your home's siding. The essence of this inspection is both to prevent water from leaking into the house as well as to disrupt the conducive environment for mold and mildew buildup during winter.
Power cleaning the accumulated dirt on your siding helps deter mold and mildew spread into your home long before winter. Why pressure cleaning? Because it does an excellent job at properly and deeply cleaning the siding reaching even the impenetrable parts.
Need some help with that? Search online for pressure cleaning near me if you are in NYC and check out the impressive work Above All Pressure Cleaning does.
5. Don't forget your driveways and walkways
Besides the house, there are other critical exterior components that make up your home. You cannot overlook them because winter doesn't discriminate. It sweeps everything in its way that holds sentimental value to you.
Being some of the biggest contributors to your home's curb appeal, your driveways and walkways deserve all the protection they can get. They are the first point of impression for your home and when they crack, they start painting you as an irresponsible homeowner to your friends and neighbors.
So, what can you do to steer clear of all that shame? Start by properly cleaning and sealing all your flat concrete surfaces to mitigate the development of cracks. Of course, you must do a thorough inspection of all your concrete walkways and driveways to unmask any emerging cracks that need filling.
Upon successful filling, all the existing cracks, apply a sealer on the concrete to prevent water from collecting inside and later freezing during winter.
6. Your deck or patio is important too!
Preventative maintenance can also be applied to your deck or patio in readiness for winter whether they have a wooden, concrete, or other surface material.
Cleaning and sealing your concrete-surfaced deck or patio will go a long way in minimizing erosion resulting from rainwater or snow. It is also an effective way of protecting the surface from oil stains and salt corrosion. A sealed concrete surface does a great job of repelling water and inhibiting algae growth.
You can also clean, restore, and seal your wood-surfaced patio or deck floor. Not only does this give your deck or patio a fresh new and clean look, but it also helps in the prevention of rot and constant floor replacements.
With a proper power wash, your deck or patio is made ready for restoration and sealing and can boldly withstand any winter storm. Reach out to a trustworthy Long Island power washing team to learn how best to maintain your deck or patio surfaces.
Let's help you winterproof your home the right way!
It is time to end your pressure cleaning near me search. At Above All Pressure Cleaning, we have you covered. As our name states, our power washing services are above all others in New York. Whether you reside in Long Island, Suffolk County, or Nassau County, we are only a call away.
We will help you prepare your home's exterior for the harsh winter. With our services, the cold will have nothing on you. The best part is that we use only eco-friendly chemicals for all your pressure washing needs guaranteeing the safety and integrity of your home's valuable assets.
Does this sound like a team you would love to team up with? Start by getting in touch with us to learn more about our residential cleaning services.