The exterior of a building needs to be cleaned. You may see buildings where this has not happened for a long time, and this makes an impression. And it’s not a great one! When it comes to building exteriors, you can even maintain structural longevity through regular cleaning. So when a business plans a commercial cleaning schedule, why has pressure washing become such a popular method? When and where is this an appropriate form of cleaning? And what are the key benefits that pressure washing might bring to your business?
Cost
Across all of the benefits of pressure washing that we will look at, one theme is recurring. That is how this method of cleaning reduces costs in other areas of your business. Although business leaders increasingly respond to their responsibilities for the welfare of their workforce and the environment, budget constraints are never far from view. However, making long term savings is much more complex than simply cutting departmental budgets. Regular pressure washing is a great example of how this can work. Long-term cost savings can be achieved from this one outlay. Examples include workforce retention, branding perception, maintenance, and energy bills.
Looks Matter
Value
The value of both your building and your business can be affected by the exterior appearance of a building. As they enter the building, visiting clients will form a first impression based on their surroundings. Similarly, the sale or lease value of a building very much depends on the condition of the exterior. By this, we mean both the structural condition and aesthetic appearance. So by keeping this part of your building clean, a business can realise some very real benefits.
Worth
Value and worth are different things. A feeling of worth is increasingly important as businesses seek to improve productivity and staff retention. It may seem minor, but the feeling of worth that both staff and visiting clients experience when entering a well-maintained building directly impacts performance and reactions. In this way, the surrounding environment of a business can direct human behaviour to benefit the business.
Manage Maintenance
Prevent Decline
Cleaning is a very important part of regular maintenance. The build-up of grime, mould and algae can contribute to the structural decline of parts of the building. In addition, it could mask the beginnings of structural problems from your view. This means that potential faults remain undetected until they can cause more dramatic problems. By pressure washing a building exterior, you will avert these problems. Clean joints, window seals and roofs generally perform better for longer. And when something begins to fail, it will be spotted far sooner: before any severe damage occurs to the building.
Decorative Costs
Exterior masonry should be painted to be protected. This can be an expensive job, especially for larger commercial buildings. Comparatively, an annual exterior pressure wash incurs far less cost. With an annual pressure wash, an additional 3 years can be added to the longevity of an exterior paint job. With this maintenance, exterior paint should last a decade, which prevents unnecessary costs to the business.
Human Health
Windows
The impact that natural light has on human performance is well documented. However, it’s pointless to enjoy office space with large windows if those windows are unable to diffuse light due to the build-up of dirt. This is especially so in the UK when, let’s face it, some months of the year are pretty low on natural light. So regular cleaning will have a positive effect on the health of your workforce. Pressure washing is a relatively low cost and quick method of keeping windows clean.
Pollution
For offices which are positioned within cities or on major roads, the impact of pollution will be very visible on walls, windows and signage. If that build-up remains unchecked, not only does the place start looking pretty depressing, but particles find their way into the air system of the building. Regular pressure washing of walls and windows can maintain the integrity of your internal airflow, which can only be a good thing for the people inside!
Green Policies
Eco-friendly approach
Pressure washing uses just water to remove the dirt, grime and unwanted marks. So no additional chemicals are finding their way into local sewage systems. As technology in the industry has improved, the machines used to pressure wash increasingly consume less energy to operate. The method emits low carbon emissions, so, all in all, is one of the most effective and green methods of building maintenance.
Energy efficiency
Pressure washing is a relatively speedy process. In this way, machines aren’t in operation for excessively lengthy periods. In addition, the process helps buildings to maintain their own energy efficiency. If a commercial building benefits from solar panels, the build-up of dirt and grime decreases the efficiency of this technology. Up to 20% of solar panel efficiency can be lost due to dirt build-up. So regular pressure washing can actually reduce your energy bills!
Pressure washing is increasingly the go-to method of cleaning the whole of the exterior of a building. This method of cleaning performs equally well from windows to walls and solar panels to signage. So really it’s pretty obvious to see why this method of cleaning has grown so much in popularity. It’s quick, thorough and low eco-impact. To find out more about how CJH Cleaning can improve the health and appearance of your building, just get in touch.