Should you power wash your house once a year?

There isn’t much difference between pressure washing and power washing, except that power washing uses heated water. This can make a big difference though. The hot water will clean more efficiently. It will also get the job done much faster than just pressurized water coming out of the pressure hose. Sometimes, it can be more effective for dirtier and more stained areas to power wash a certain section instead of simply pressure washing it. There are situations when power washing certain areas of your house is more effective.

So then what time is the right time to pressure wash your house, or call the professionals and let them do it? Things might be easier for you in the long run if you choose the latter. If you do then we recommend https://powerwashingrichmondva.com But, if you are a classic do-it-your-selfer then by all mean, rent or heck even buy a power or pressure washer if you can afford it and go to town. The information coved here in this article will help you whichever one you decide to go with it, and if you ever needed to learn anything about power washing, we have a plethora of information herein.  So, if you possess your own pressure washing equipment, then in the handbook that came with it should be some information on the proper time of year to power wash, or other tips on the timing.  

The manufacturer of these power tool usually supplies this somewhere in the box or the packaging. Most of the time, the “experts”, or the makers of the power washing tool will suggest that whenever you do it, you make sure to do it on a schedule, and if you do it today, then do it six months from now and do it on the same day as today next year. This isn’t always necessary, but it is what the companies will recommend. Often on the pressure washer or when you purchase or buy one, the companies can tell you how addicting it is to watch the water cut through the dirt and be washed away. It is important not to pressure wash your home too much, lest you damage the exterior of your house, or the tint on your windows and start to incur replacement costs. Some houses get dirtier more quickly than others. Some houses take a while to accumulate dust t and grime. It will always depend on a few different variables, such as the weather, pollution, all sorts of stuff. The frequency at which you should power wash your house will depend on all these different variables in your situation. The finish on the car will matter too, what type of paint is on there. You don’t want to go scratching up your exterior just because you wanted it to look nice and shiny and new.  

What kind of sidings you have is also going to be a contributing factor in how this all turns out. Whether or not you have a shingle roof is going to be the main factor in deciding whether you’re going to power wash it. Some others do not do well under the pressure of a power washer, but the asphalt shingles are the main ones you need to worry about. The blast from the hose will rip all the asphalt granulates off the sheet and leave you with an empty sticky piece of glue paper that does nothing to protect your roof from the harsh reality of the weather beating down on it. It will start to crack and wither away almost immediately after all the granules are taken off the shingles. The condition of your paint will also play a major role in how well your power washing escapade goes. If it is already peeling and dry and cracked, falling off in some areas, then power washing is going to take a fair amount of it off. You will probably be left with a lot less paint than you started out with. The good news is, you’ve been putting off painting that siding for the last year now, so its finally time to go ahead and get it done! Ha-ha!. But seriously, if your paint job is not holding up, the blast water will take a lot more of it off.  

So, we are going to go over a couple of things that you should avoid when power washing your home. Many people make these mistakes the first time around, and it really pays off to know ahead of time what they are so that you can save the time, exasperation, and money.

• One thing that people make the mistake of the most, is not correctly adjusting the pressure on their power washer. You can easily tear a hole in your vinyl siding, you can make little etchings in your concrete, and we’ve even seen them splinter wood if they are on too high. It is important to play with it a little before hand if you are taking the do-it-yourself-route.

• Using only water is something that we see a lot as well. If you are bringing a power washer into a job, it is most likely because grime is caked on, dirt has settled in, and stains among other things are probably all over the place. You’re going to want to make sure that you’re using some sort of cleaning chemical. Maybe you want to incorporate it into your washer, loading it into the proper container. You can also find some heavy spray chemicals, and spray the area, letting it sit for a little while before starting to blast it with the hot water. All the residential and commercial roofing workers use this technique and exercise patience when working. This is the best way to ensure that you are getting all the grime and dirt off, and don’t need to come back over it and do it again. Do it right the first time!

• If you have plants around your property that are close to the areas that you will be power washing, then you’re going to want to make sure that you protect them as much as possible. Before you start the power washing process, you’re going to want to wet down the plants in the immediate vicinity. This is going to help to confirm that the chemicals you use will not dry on the foliage of the plant and leave burn marks. So following logic and common sense here, if the plants start to dry off before you finish the project, you want to go back through and make sure to wet them with the hose again before you continue the spraying. Some people prefer to use a tarp to protect the plants to ensure that there are no mishaps.
• Some of your painted surfaces may not hold up to the power washing that you are planning to give them. This is especially true if they are old and dried out or have been exposed to sunlight for long periods of time. Taking a power washer to these surfaces, especially with the chemicals in the spray, will easily strip your wall or surface of its paint very quickly. Therefore, it is generally a good idea to just avoid painted surfaces altogether.
• If you are going to power wash some of your property, you are going to want to make sure that you take up anything that is prone to mold. If a fabric or material will grow the little offending black mold spots and lichen or things like that, you’re not going to want to power wash them, right? You don’t use this method of cleaning on those materials and surfaces because they do not have time to dry out before the mold sets in. If you have a way to dry the material quickly that will not damage it, then go ahead and ignore this part as it does not apply to you!
• When people pick up a power washer to rent or have the professionals come out, it is sometimes because they are planning to pressure wash the entire house. If this is your plan, you are going to want to start with the roof and then work your way down. Keep in mind though, a lot of roofs will not stand up to the high-pressure water that comes out of that hose. Especially if you have asphalt shingles, which was previously mentioned in the article. If they will, go ahead and start with the roof and work your way down. If you start with the bottom surfaces or the siding and you still plan on doing your roof, you going to be upset when all the dirt from the roof runs down your sidings and your flat surfaces, making them just as dirty right after you cleaned it.
• Some commercial power washing companies use hot water for their power washer. If you do this it may warp some of your sidings or roof materials. You do not want this. It may seem a lot easier and faster, but a little extra time may be worth it not to damage your property and give yourself more and more replacement costs. Nobody wants that. Cold water will clean just as well if you’re using the proper chemicals while you’re doing the job.

In conclusion, there are many things that you can do to make your pressure washing experience a little smoother and simply better all around. We have tried to supply you with information that will make this a lot easier on you, and maybe even take less time. Maybe you were going to call some professional power washers and spend a boatload of money, but now you’ve decided after reading this that you’re just going to go rent one and do it yourself. If this is the route your taking, we commend you home project warrior! Go the whole way with it and hell, get a custom T-shirt made if you want to. If you follow the information herein that we have provided you, you shouldn’t have too many problems with your power washing quest. Now get out there and make that house shine!