Power washing concrete is a good way to clean one of the largest surfaces around your home: your driveway. That large stretch of concrete is exposed to the weather and to the wear and tear brought to it by automobiles. This can lead to a lot of dirt and stain.

Power washing concrete driveways can lead to problems, however. Many of these problems have to do with the unique structure of concrete itself.

Naturally, you must be careful when power washing concrete because the pressure and volume of water can produce “blow-back” that can be dangerous to you. This makes it necessary to wear protective gear when power washing concrete.

Some of the things that can possibly harm you include chips and flakes of concrete, spalls, and popouts that can fly up and into your eyes. These are in addition to the dirt and debris that can be dislodged by the power washer.

But another potential problem can be brought on because concrete is both porous and permeable. This means it has tiny, microscopic holes or pores that may be close to the surface. If the concrete is of poor quality, it may have relatively large and even interconnected pores that allow water to enter and penetrate the concrete.

Power washing concrete of poor quality, and even fairly good quality, can add to the amount of water that penetrates the concrete. This brings on accelerated erosion of the surface of the concrete. Since concrete has a relatively thin layer on top that protects it, this erosion and the abrading that comes from the pressure will shorten the life of the concrete.

Filling these pores with water that shouldn’t be there can also lead to freezing during winter months, aging the concrete even faster.

For these reasons, power washing concrete surfaces probably should not be a frequent task. If you do this, it likely sets in motion a potentially devastating cycle that will lead to your concrete surfaces not lasting as long as they could.

Professionals know and observe these power washing cautions. If you choose to have a pro do your power washing either inside or outside, keep Elite Pressure Washing at 603-828-8299 in mind. They are trained and experienced in pressure washing just about anything around your home. Call today.