Power Washing in the Summer

Summertime in the Chicagoland area is truly the best time of year to truly clean the exterior of your building.

Since it’s warm outside, the actual act of being outside to do the cleaning isn’t as miserable (or dangerous) as it could be during the late fall or winter months. The summer months also tend to be some of the less rainy months of year, reducing the risk of scheduling time for cleaning to see it only get ruined by mother nature. And, if there is precipitation, it’s likely not going to be in the form of sleet or snow – which can contribute to damage and dirtiness to your buildings.

That’s why you should take advantage of the summer months to do as much cleaning possible – you won’t get an opportunity like this again for a very long time. This is why we recommend doing power washing this summer.

What is power washing?

Our power washing services combine premium cleaning chemicals with high-powered washing methods to restore your masonry to its original condition as closely as possible.

Power washing is necessary because over the long winter months and spring, many adverse factors from moisture, mold, algae, snow, sleet and even road salt and other de-icing methods can stain your exterior masonry. Pollution and exhaust fumes from heavy traffic can also take their tolls, leaving your building exteriors darkened and dirty.

During power washing, our high-powered cleaning chemicals are applied to your exteriors to begin to dissolve the stubborn stains and dirt deposits. Our power washing tools then take off the stains and deposits for good by combining high-pressure water with silica sand.

Is power washing safe?

When done by a professional, power washing is very safe – as well as cost effective.

To ensure that none of your building’s vulnerable exterior surfaces are harmed during the power washing process, we take steps ahead of time to cover or plan around them before undertaking the job. These may include exposed windows, garage doors, windowsills, porch doors, bushes and landscaping.

Order a power washing for your building today

There’s only so much you can do on your own you clean the exterior of your building. Get the professional help you need by contacting us today and scheduling an appointment. You can email us at arrow@tuckpointing.com or call us at one of our convenient phone numbers on our contact page.

Find the source of water trouble in your buildings

They don’t call it rainy season for nothing. This May will bring with it an enormous amount of rainfall in the Chicagoland area. And with lots and lots of rain comes the risk of leaks – and with leaks, comes damage, mold and more.

So, to prevent harm from coming to your buildings, you should find out where your leak vulnerabilities are. If that sounds like a dubious task, luckily there is help available – leak detection services from us.

Leak detection from Arrow

We have 50 years of experience with premium masonry restoration in the Chicago area. With this comes the knowledge and expertise to help determine what every building’s vulnerabilities are. Additionally, we have assembled the top modern-day technology to help out with all your building’s needs.

Some of this technology allows us to easily and effectively determine where your building’s leak vulnerabilities are. Here’s how our leak detection works: Infrared imaging allows us to see a view of your building that the naked eye wouldn’t be able to see. It will allow us to identify the most likely source of leaks throughout the external masonry of your building.

After we have detected any major vulnerabilities, we will offer recommendations on addressing it to prevent any further water damage to your building.

Energy efficiency audits

Our leak detection services also include the option of receiving an energy efficiency audit. If you select this option, we will do a thorough inspect of your building’s external masonry. This includes windows, walls, doors and anywhere else where heat can escape.

While heat loss is more of an issue during the winter months, consider getting an energy efficiency audit in the spring or summer. It’s something you can “cross off your list” before things get cold again in the fall.

Our energy efficiency audit also includes specific recommendations to repair any vulnerable areas that could allow heat to escape.

Addressing vulnerabilities head-on

Of course, fixing up your masonry and leak vulnerabilities are within our range of services as well. Not only can we detect leaks and perform an energy audit, we can be the ones to fix your building as well. You can read more about our waterproofing (and other services) at our website here.

Get your leak detection audit done today

Are you interested in getting a leak detection audit for your home or place of business? You can find out more about leak detection services on our website here. Then, you can contact us at arrow@tuckpointing.com to schedule an appointment. It’s free to get an estimate of our services!

Additionally, you also can  call us at one of our convenient phone numbers at our contact page.

Protecting your concrete from April showers

When it comes to masonry and exteriors, it’s better to avoid damage in the first place than to repair it after it occurs.

With this philosophy in mind, let’s look at a vulnerable aspect of your home or place of business in the context of the time of year we’re in – concrete surfaces and April showers – and how to best prevent damage from occurring.

Concrete and water

Spring is now upon us, and with it comes rain. In the Chicagoland area, spring is overall the wettest season of the year thanks to the many thunderstorm and rain clouds that form due to being near a large lake. Also, due to being in the Midwest, it’s not uncommon for winter weather such as snow and sleet to etch its way into April.

While the bricks, stone and other materials that make up building walls aren’t immune to the effects of water, one of the more vulnerable surfaces on or near your building are concrete decks, balconies or walkways. Simply put, concrete is a strong and inexpensive material but is vulnerable to erosion and has a tendency to crack. If you combine those tendencies with hard-pummeling rain, sleet and hail – as well as the eroding nature of standing water – concrete doesn’t stand a chance on its own when confronted with spring in Chicagoland.

The solution: Membrane coatings

Luckily, you can take measures to protect the concrete on your property with membrane coatings. These coatings, which typically are made from a polyurethane basecoat, can repel some of the damaging effects of rain, hail and standing water. It acts as a protective topcoat that can flex and expand to surface water on top of it, helping to keep the concrete material beneath dry and stable.

But before we apply the membrane coating, we’ll repair and detail of any preexisting cracks or pits in the concrete. If we’re applying the coating at the tail-end of a Chicagoland winter, it’s likely there’s going to be some damage already.

As a bonus, our membrane coatings are non-skid and come in a variety of colors to best match your concrete.

Getting help with your concrete today

Visit our page on membrane coatings to learn more about our preventive concrete services and see before-and-after examples. Then, when you’re ready, contact us at arrow@tuckpointing.com to schedule an appointment. You can also call us at one of our convenient phone numbers at our contact page.

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Commercial Tuckpointing, Masonry & Brick Repair in the Chicagoland Area