The importance of facade sealing and cleaning

The facade is the face of your building. It's one of the only aspects of your structure that isn't designed for function – it's purely there to enhance the look and appeal of your building. However, when left alone, the facade can quickly fall into disrepair.

Facade dangers

Facades are usually a combination of stone, masonry, concrete, glass and metal and provide an accent to the rest of the structure. However, whether it's polished stone or shiny metal, these aesthetic features will quickly become more eyesore than pleasure if they're not regularly cleaned.

There are a number of factors that can dirty and damage your facade:

• Minerals – Whether from the stone itself, nearby masonry or overhead windows, minerals and salts that leach out of the substrate can quickly be carried onto the facade where it will create stains and even corrode the metal.
• Pollution – If your building is by a busy intersection, few parts will get as much pollution as the facade. Passing cars and trucks will eventually coat your facade in pollutants.
• Pests – Facades can create unique and appealing angles for bugs, birds or rodents to call their home. The nests aren't just distracting, they can cause damage and the droppings will definitely make an unsightly mark or two.
• Water – A leak or drip can quickly become rusty spot or a mineral deposit. This can create a number of headaches, not to mention red streaks.

Many of the factors that can hurt a facade start out only causing minor aesthetic damage. However, these small issues quickly evolve into more complex problems. Don't ignore the small stains, streaks and leaks, these can turn into serious damage and cost significant amounts to repair. And, while your structure is under repair, you'll lose the curb appeal of a good facade – a double negative.

Clean and Polish your facade

‍Rather than waiting for small problems to turn into disasters, the smart move is to be proactive and clean your facade from the beginning. Talk to experts from Clean and Polish Building Solutions to see what the best custom cleaning plan is for you.

After the facade is cleaned, make sure you seal it.

Typically, metal facades need professionals to use abrasive tools and chemical cleaners to remove stains and rust. They can work to restore the metal facade to get it shining like new again.

With stone or masonry, the facade may be power washed then cleaned on a smaller level. You can have chips and scratches fixed as well as graffiti or other more serious stains removed. Any nearby glass can also be cleaned and restored.

If your building is LEED certified, or has other restrictions, Clean and Polish can work with you to create a unique plan that protects the integrity of your building and gets it looking spotless.

After the facade is fully cleaned, it's critical that you seal it to prevent costly repairs. Sealing stone, masonry or even metal can stop these stains and streaks from causing serious damage.