Exterior Building Maintenance – The Right Time

These massive structures, beautiful to one’s eye, are not as strong as the mountains that surround the Pacific Northwest and only proper maintenance will ensure its value and stature.

Here are a few signs to look for today when determining if a building needs maintenance, which can potentially save property owners hundreds of thousands of dollars in the future.

Cracked and Crumbling Caulking

Cracked and crumbling caulking around windows, doors, frames, expansion joints and or control joints.  Cracked caulking means the building is no longer air tight.  This may lead to water damage and loss of energy efficiency.  A simple fix with the right type of silicone caulking can decrease energy bills and lower the cost to run a building.

Cracked Bricks and Flaking Mortar

Cracked bricks and flaking mortar.  When a ‘brick and mortar’ building is faced with cracked bricks and flaking mortar the culprit, more times than not, is water.   A building facing these issues can be fixed with tuckpointing and a waterproof seal.   A waterproof seal will need to be reapplied every 3-5 years depending on the sealer applied.  And a proper sealer will keep the integrity and quality of the brick and mortar.

Moss and Algae Growth

Moss and Algae growth on buildings, roofs and sidewalks.  Moss is a general nuisance to Seattleites.  We fight it every season and Mother Nature wins.  Moss that is not treated can very dangerous and slippery to building tenants and cause fall related accidents.  It can also harm the components on your building.   Moss is a common nesting habitat for many little creatures and birds love to peck at it for nesting materials.  Un-treated, moss can eventually leave holes in roofs and building siding.   A twice a year, bio-degradable moss treatment can be a very simple solutions to a major Pacific NW problem.  Pressure washing can also clear away the moss and algae but is not a long term solution.

Building does not look cleaned and polished

The building next door has a more polished clean appearance.  Buildings are built to be occupied and tenant-ability equates to profit.   Ensure property ‘high occupancy’ rates by having a competitive advantage in curb appeal.   A scheduled maintenance program of window cleaning, pressure washing and wall coatings can guarantee a new, polished appearance year round.   In turn, leading to long term tenancy.

Building’s exterior on-going maintenance and cleaning will protect the buildings value tomorrow, prevent major damages in the future and sustain profitability day to day.