Image courtesy of On-Air/iStockphoto/Thinkstock Image courtesy of CarstenReisinger/iStockphoto/Thinkstock Sidewalks or other surfaces that don’t receive sunlight are prone to moss and algae buildup that can cause slip and fall hazards and appearance concerns. forms growing on them and the slippery surfaces are potential hazards. ■ Structural integrity: Over time, lichen, moss, algae and other natural elements can degrade even the hardest of sur-faces, so keeping them clear and clean can maintain their longevity. ■ Property value: Cobwebs, dirt, leaves and pollen, not to mention wood rot and rust around gutters and grimy tile, can make a property look old, worn, dingy and appraise for less than it’s actually worth. Additional Uses Even beyond keeping ground surface areas, walls and rooftops in tidy, tip-top shape, here’s a list of additional issues where a pro-fessional power washer can greatly benefit a hospitality or recreation facility: Clogged drains: There’s no need to call a plumber and pay to have a drain line cleared. A pressure washer can accom-plish the same task. A special “sewer jetter” nozzle attachment will safely and efficiently unclog and clean a drain. Grime-covered grout and tile: A rotary brush attachment on a power washer is useful for safely cleaning floor tile and grout without damage. Use hot water to clean ar-eas where grease and oil stains need to be cleared out, such as a food space or where cars are commonly parked. Dirty windows: While dirty windows reflect negatively on a hospitality facil-ity, squeegee attachments make window cleaning quick and easy. You can use them with soap and water or glass cleaner; either way you will have a sparkling clean window in half the time it would take with a cloth. Dusty central air ducts: Calling on a professional to clean central air condition-ing ducts, or purchasing an air duct cleaning system, can be expensive and unnecessary. A pressure washer outfitted with a special attachment can get the job done and pro-vide cost savings. Kitchen exhaust duct and food safety: Duct cleaning in restaurants is very impor-tant for many reasons with fire prevention at the top of the list. Many flammable con-taminants, including oil, grease and dust, find their way into the exhaust ducts. Even a small spark, flame or just heat buildup could be enough to start a catastrophic fire. Clogged ducts can affect temperatures of the cooking surfaces, making them ir-regular and causing some foods to be un-dercooked. Heat could also build up in the kitchen, bringing chilled food ingredients up to dangerous temperatures where they could be susceptible to mold, fungus and bacteria. Cluttered gutters: Unclogged and func-tional gutters are imperative to prevent wa-ter overflow. Clogged gutters can detach, and worse, promote rot and rust to the sur-rounding structure. While a standard gar-den hose won’t get the job done, a pressure washer with a special gutter nozzle will clear the dirt, leaves and debris in short order. Regular equipment maintenance: Golf course and tennis court equipment rep-resents a unique cleaning challenge that power washers readily solve. There is a veri-table cornucopia of detritus attributable to the inordinate amount of foot traffic of these spaces, including grease, oil, grime, dust, dirt, mud and the random items left by stray dogs, birds and critters. Visitors to these lo-cals can be a finicky lot and expect not only the course to be impeccable, but they also expect the equipment to be clean. Water and muck removal: In regions where rain and snow create a buildup of wa-ter and muck, or when pooled water needs to be drained indoors perhaps from an overfilled planter, flood or plumbing repair, a special attachment provides high-volume water removal. This rapid response can pre-vent costly moisture-related damage. Quick dry: After pressure cleaning or moisture removal from an area, it can be quickly dried. Also, after better preparing a surface for foot traffic and keeping it safe from slips and falls, an air blower attach-ment will help you quickly dry out the space. A pressure washer is an extremely versa-tile and easy-to-use tool that can make hos-pitality and recreation facility safety, clean-ing and maintenance a breeze. CM Victor Hayes Popovics is the chief executive offi-cer (CEO) of Ultimate Washer Inc., which offers a wide selection of residential, commercial and industrial heavy-duty pressure washer equip-ment for homeowners, automotive contractors, commercial and industrial users and pressure washing businesses. Reach Victor online at www. UltimateWasher.com. www.cmmonline.com 43
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