Frenchie’s Pressure Washing and Yardwork owner/operators Sarah Wilson and Guy Pouliot are gearing up for a busy spring and summer season. The partners joined forces in June 2015 to develop a fully insured, mobile company to serve commercial and residential customers in the Powell River area.
“We decided to merge and start a business,” says Sarah. “You have to be able to wear many hats in this town.”
Guy takes care of most pressure washing, with Sarah’s assistance, while Sarah takes the lead on yard-work projects.
“We’re a good team; we complete each other well with our different skills,” says Guy. “We get work done efficiently and take great pride in it.”
Pressure washing is excellent for cleaning house siding and gutters, sidewalks and driveways, heavy-duty machinery and vehicles (including motorcycles and boats), sundecks, wharves and parking lots. It can also be used to suppress weeds and works well for paint preparation.
“Machinery has so many nooks and crannies, you can’t get in there with a sander or grinder,” says Guy. “With a pressure washer, you get right into tight little spots.”
Frenchie’s pressure-washing machine, housed in a van equipped with a 1500-litre water storage tank, uses a high volume of water; pressure is adjusted as necessary.
“Other pressure washers might have high pressure, but the combination of pressure and volume makes a difference,” says Guy. “Small units can cause damage; even if they have a high pounds-per-square-inch, they won’t have the adequate volume or flow capacity needed to obtain maximum results.”
Guy recommends homeowners have house siding cleaned once per year, “so it doesn’t get out of control,” he says. “Spring is a good time for it, because things dry out a bit.”
“Some people are concerned about water infiltration from pressure washing,” adds Sarah. “They just need to call us; we figure out the right mixture of water temperature, pressure and cleaners and alleviate any concerns.”
Spring is also prime time for taking care of driveways or decks, and when it comes to regular maintenance, roofs should always be a major consideration, as yearly demossing prevents algae or moss from building up and causing problems.
“Moss can find its way under the shingles and lead to damage”, says Guy, “We use a soft-wash system that kills the moss and prevents it from growing back right away; the pressure is no higher than that of a garden hose.”
Use of proper cleaners can save time, water and even eliminate the need for high pressure. A variety of cleaning supplies are available, including environmentally friendly options. Because hot water is available from the van, chemicals are not usually needed.
“Hot water makes a huge difference, it’s like night and day,” says Guy. “And we have tools for each specific job, from soft brushes and extensions, to wands and surface cleaners, including a Whirl-A-Way.”
Frenchie’s yard work services include raking, lawn mowing, mulching, hedge trimming, fertilizing, adding or cleaning up flowerbeds and, especially in spring, weeding.
“That’s what people should be thinking about now,” says Sarah. “If they wait until summer, the weeds will be deeply rooted.”
Sarah and Guy also prune blueberries and fruit trees, design pathways, install simple irrigation systems, help homeowners or businesses choose plants and clear out overgrown areas.
“If someone has an area covered with blackberries or ivy and wants it removed, we are really good with that,” says Sarah. “We bring all the equipment to do the job.”
In conjunction with yard services, Sarah and Guy haul away any unwanted items cluttering indoor or outdoor spaces.
“We love challenges,” says Sarah. “Our reward is the finished product, seeing the before and after difference.”
For a free estimate, Sarah and Guy can be reached at 604.414.7381 or frenchiespressurewash@gmail.com. For more information, go to frenchiespressurewash.ca or facebook.com/frenchiepwyd.
