If you're a manager of a large facility, you probably pressure wash on a regular basis. The logic behing this practice usually goes something like this...
1. Sidewalk is dirty, we have to keep it clean
2. Only option (BG-Before GumBlasters) is to pressure wash or scrape
3. Pressure washing does an "OK" job. It's best at moving dust and debris down the storm drain. Scraping never gets into the grain of the concrete, leaving what looks like pieces of gum everywhere. Both practices can and will cause permanent damage if "Gum Removal" is the desired result.
4. Pieces and parts of gum still cover the sidewalks. The sidewalk never really looks clean. It isn't! The main problem never gets removed. Gum really is the biggest issue for facilities when it comes to keeping entryways looking good.
5. If the sidewalk never really gets cleaned, sub-conciously the practice of pressure washing gets ingrained into the organization. It becomes a crutch. Organizations are sometimes built around the practice.
6. Some large property management companies wouldn't be in business if they couldn't justify the need for pressure washing. It's done so often and requires so many resources that the organization looks "busy" all the time.
In the picture here you can see what looks like streaks in the concrete. This is a perfect example of what happens when a pressure washer is asked to remove gum from a sidewalk. The nozzle is set to Zero Degree and then the stream of water is aimed between the gum and the surface to "pry" it from the ground. Once it's successfully pryed, you may find a pit or an etch taken out of the surface.
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