Graffiti Removal
Exactly What Is Graffiti?
Graffiti is an act of vandalism whether it is an expression of art, writings, or symbols carried out on any surface without the permission of the owner.
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No surface is safe from this crime; graffiti can happen anywhere. Some of the more popular targets include:
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Sides of public/private buildings
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Newspaper boxes
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Playground equipment
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Bridges and overpasses
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Train box cars
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Plexiglass bus stops
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Brick or block retaining walls
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Street signs
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City Busses
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Churches
Sea to Summit Pressure Washing LLC is capable of removing any graffiti you may get tagged with. We try to maintain an inventory of graffiti removal solutions that allow us to safely remove paint or markers from a variety of surfaces without the use of high pressure that could cause damage to the property.
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We also make graffiti removal a top priority and will make ourselves available on short notice seven days a week. For more information about graffiti or the removal of it, give us a call at 864-653-0123.
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Some graffiti can be quite artistic and, in fact, there are many websites where the graffiti artist can go to print out computer generated designs to use as templates for their illegal displays on private or public property.
One might ask, what is the harm in this as long as the graffiti, known as tagging, is colorful and seemingly harmless? The problem with artistic graffiti is that it sends the message that no one cares or is in charge of the property, so the neighborhood becomes the canvas for even more of their artistic expressions or even worse.
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When graffiti is allowed to remain for any length of time, more tagging will occur spreading from building to building and to any surface that they can put their mark on.
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As less than desirable groups or gangs see neighborhoods that allow graffiti to remain, they see this as an area where they may also be safe to hang out.
As gangs stake out their territories, they mark the area with their own style of graffiti. While not as complex as the artistic variety, graffiti that often takes a lot of planning or even days to complete, gang graffiti is generally more simple with letters and symbols that can quickly be put on any open surface.
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While gang graffiti may be simple letters and symbols, being able to interpret the meaning of their graffiti can be very complex. Each gang has a symbol of their own such as a five or six point star, for example. They can also use numbers and other symbols like crowns and pitchforks.
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Gang graffiti does not only show other gangs that they have already claimed that area, but it can tell other gangs that one gang has put a hit (a kill order) on a rival gang member or even leave the message that they have already carried out a hit on another gang member and are happily taking credit for it and daring them to retaliate.
Remember, all of this started with what seemed like a harmless artistic painting. Now crime is on the increase, property values have plummeted, businesses have closed, and taxes have gone up to fund clean up programs and to increase police presence in the area.
The best way to prevent this scenario, that has happened way too many times throughout the country, is to have any and all graffiti removed as quickly as possible. If the graffiti reappears, remove it instantly.
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The point is to not let your neighborhood look like no one cares and to make sure it is understood that it will not tolerate graffiti...artistic or otherwise.
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If the graffiti artist or taggers know their "art" will be removed by the next day, they will move on to other areas and the gangs will know that is a neighborhood or community that cares and neither gangs nor graffiti will not be tolerated there.