GUIDE
Local businesses oer home improvement tips
2023 HOME EDITION
ASK A PRESSURE WASHING EXPERT HOME IMPROVEMENT AND MAINTENANCE
and organic growth that has the chance to sit and grow on your property. When we keep that down, no one’s just going to slip when it gets wet. We’re able to help maintain that health and safety aspect of all this; that’s where it really counts. WHEN DO YOU RECOMMEND HOMEOWNERS HIRE A PRO VERSUS DOING IT ON THEIR OWN? If you have the time to research it, by all means go for it. I also look at us as we have the tools and everything necessary to be able to complete the project in a reasonable amount of time. At a certain point, it’s a cost-benet ratio with your life: Do you have time to clean it? Or do you not? If you’re trying to wash your roof, I’m gonna say please don’t do that. Consider calling a professional who’s insured and well versed in using a ladder and walking on a roof. [They’re] going to use the right chemical process and ratio and protect your property as opposed to you unintentionally damaging your property or worse—hurting yourself in the process.
wants to move forward, then we have to submit for [homeowner association] approval, and we have to pull permits. So the whole process takes like 30-90 days, depending on the area. HOW LONG DO SOLAR PANELS LAST? There’s no maintenance on a solar system for 25 years. Everything comes with a 25-year warranty, so if anything needs to be replaced, we replace it at no charge to the customer. After 25 years, there might be some maintenance, but manufacturers give the panels a 40-year useful life. DOES THE WEATHER IMPACT SOLAR PANELS? It’s based on a credit system. So there’s going to be cloudy days, and the system is only going to be producing maybe 50%, but because of the credit system through the utility companies, you’ll have credit stored up from those extra sunny days, and those are going to carry over on cloudy days. So it all evens out.
ASK A SOLAR ENERGY EXPERT
BY GRANT CRAWFORD
Devin Kuretski, the owner of solar panel installation company Aura Solar, o ered advice for homeowners interested in converting to solar energy.
WHY ARE OWNERS CONSIDERING INSTALLING SOLAR PANELS ON THEIR HOME? What gets people excited about it is the ownership aspect. We own our houses; we own our cars; and now you can own your electricity through solar panels. You can own your power for the same price, if not less, than you would rent your electricity from the utility companies. On top of that, it builds value on your house. Then also it’s good for the environment and a way you can support renewable energy and help the environment for future generations.
HOW MUCH DO SOLAR PANELS COST? It’s based on how much electricity you need, and that will relate to the cost. What I tell most people, because most people do the nancing option, that it’s going to be right around what you pay now, if not substantially less. Most people are able to save 10%-20%. HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO INSTALL A SOLAR PANEL? With my team, it takes us half a day. But from signing up, the rst step is just having a consultation with me or one of the sales people. If the customer
BY ZACHARIA WASHINGTON
Total Pressure Washing owner Alfonso Fernandez o ered advice for home and business owners interested in cleaning the exterior of their properties. HOW DID YOU GET INTO THE
after that you could just address the issues as they come. When it comes to commercial properties, they’re just naturally going to see a higher volume of trac. I have clients that get their windows cleaned every week, and there’s some that only need it once a month. Then, there’s some who, especially with the bigger buildings, do it once a year. Most of the time, if you can address your property, at least once a year for the heavy cleaning, that’s great. And then for commercial properties, if you can get us out at least every quarter, you’ll be doing OK, as well. WHAT IS THE PROCESS OF PRESSURE WASHING? WHAT METHODS DO YOU USE? It depends on what you’re doing. If we’re going to be working on the ground, or we call it at work, where you’re pressure washing a driveway or a storefront, you’re going to treat the
Pressure washing is a way to clean building exteriors.
PRESSURE WASHING BUSINESS AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING IT? My dad happened to acquire some equipment at some point, and I ended up buying it from him. I studied it for a year before I even touched anyone’s property because I quickly learned that it was more than just pressure and water. I would practice on the house that we were living in at the time. [Eventually], we dove into soft washing and slowly morphed into an exterior cleaning business. We’ve been in business going on ve years now. HOW OFTEN SHOULD SOMEONE CONSIDER PRESSURE WASHING, OR DOING A TOTAL CLEANING OF THEIR HOME OR BUSINESS? Let’s start with the residential rst. You may need to get your house washed like once every other year, and then
From permitting to installation, solar panels take 3090 days.
a ected areas rst with some degreaser. We’ll let it dwell and agitate it with a brush. Then we’ll start working. Most of the time to achieve the best result, we require hot water capability. And then after, if the worksite supports it, we can post-treat it so that the clean can last longer. WHAT ARE THE PROS OF PRESSURE WASHING YOUR HOME OR BUSINESS? There’s this whole aesthetic quality about pressure washing, where when you maintain the property, it’s going to just naturally be cleaner and look nicer. People can see that your property is maintained and cared for. And then outside of that, ... there’s this whole health and safety aspect to it. We are keeping down the amount of dirt, grime
Alfonso Fernandez Owner/exterior cleaning contractor Total Pressure Washing 512-413-8970 www.tpwtexas.com
Devin Kuretski Owner Aura Solar 512-962-7771
Aura Solar owner Devin Kuretski said solar panels are popular because they allow people to own the electricity they use.
Aura Solar outts homes in the Greater Austin area with solar panels.
www.p ugervillesolar panelinstallation.com
CEDAR PARK 13530 Ronald Reagan Blvd (512) 986-7681
NORTH 620 10601 N FM 620 (512) 506-8316
HYMEADOW 12611 Hymeadow (512) 506-8401
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