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ENO Trace Architectural Committee
Tips to cleaning the exterior of your home
Spend $6.00 and a little time twice a year
Save up to $5,000.00
With water restrictions in place most of the year in 2008 throughout Durham County, many homeowners didnt have the opportunity to clean the outside of their house and decks. One of the biggest mistakes people make though is to say Im going to hire someone to power wash my house or I am going to rent a power washer and clean my own house and save some money. This sounds well in good because to hire someone would cost approximately $150.00 to $200.00, and to rent a power washer is, on the average, $60.00 per day. Little do people understand that a high-powered pressure wash, spraying water at 2,000 to 3,000 psi (pounds per square inch) or even higher, will remove loose paint from the surface. At this point you will need to repaint the entire house most likely, which will cost anywhere upwards of $5,000.00. Now power washing is the best way to prepare your house if you are ready to tackle that exterior painting we know youre looking forward to. But, if you are looking to clean some dirt and mildew off your house without taking paint off consider following these tips:
- Mix 1 part bleach to 2 parts water, and wet the surface you are going to clean with your garden hose
- Apply bleach and water mixture with a garden pump type sprayer
- Wait about 10 minutes and rise off
- Clean from the top down to always keep the dirt below you
- Stay out of the sun and do one section at a time
If you dont want to use bleach because you are worried about your grass, shrubs and/or plants, be sure to use an environmentally friendly type cleaner. A few examples of such cleaners are non TSP concentrate which are made by manufacturers like Jomax and Flood. Just be sure to pay close attention to how much these cleaners need to be diluted.
If you want to power wash because you have always power washed we would recommend to use a lower pressure, which would be 1500 psi and below.
These are just a few helpful hints but if there are any questions please dont hesitate to contact us at www.enotrace.org, or attend our monthly meetings which are now the 2nd Thursday of each month.
Happy Cleaning!
Tom Matuszewski
ICI Paints Sales Representative
Eno Trace Resident
Member Eno Trace BOD
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Basic Lawn Care Preventive Maintenance
Sometimes we don't get to it right away, or say well, I'll get to it tomorrow, and last but certainly not least, think to ourselves it doesn't look that bad. Well guess what you didn't, you won't and it does.
It is our duty as homeowners and neighbors to keep the quality of life our number one priority. That includes lawn care and maintenance. Overgrown property is not only unsightly, it can be both a nuisance and a danger to neighbors and the community. All homeowners have a responsibility to keep their properties neat and tidy to improve the appearance of our community, remove places for vermin to breed, and reduce health risks. If we don't stay on top of basic lawn maintenance, these are some of the things that can occur:
· Potential fire hazard;
· May encourage crime;
· May attract/breed pests bugs, rodents, snakes, and fire ants (or any other critters that live outside);
· Make it nearly impossible to cut once you decide to;
· Makes your home look bad and unattractive; and
· Makes the neighborhood look bad and potentially decreases property values.
To reduce these risks, lawns should be regularly mowed and all yard waste such as dry grass, cut tree limbs and brush properly disposed of. A well-maintained property is also an effective crime prevention tool because lawns that are not being cared for give criminals the impression that the property is unattended and might be an easy target. Regular maintenance also reduces the potential for vermin and disease carrying pests to breed and create a health risk.
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