Pressure WAshing Overview
If someone was asked which place on their property needed the most cleaning, chances are they would respond either inside their residence or their yard. They could probably name the area, but the yard and the indoors aren’t the only places that need cleaning. The outside of your house needs to have a scheduled cleaning, too. The cleaning is mostly for aesthetic purposes, but it will also keep you up-to-date on what needs to be repaired on the exterior. Once you find the places that need work, the next thing to figure out is how you’re going to fix or clean it. Some areas are too grungy or too high up for you to reach. That’s where pressure washing comes in. Experts will clean residential and commercial exteriors, decks, and roofs, remove paint, and apply coatings and sealers.
Deck & roof cleaning
Throughout the year, decks get dirty. In Spring, mud and dirt are tracked across the slats as little feet search for, and retrieve, the new blossoms in the yard. In Summer, art projects are taken outside, paint daubed liberally on any surface the tiny hands can reach. In Autumn, slick leaves are plastered to the deck surface with shoes, while discarded nuts or overripe fruits are crushed underfoot and smeared on the slats. In Winter, fluffy snowflakes are compressed by boots and mingled with frozen earth and remnants of leaves. Decks get dirty, but they can also be cleaned. A time-consuming and painful way to clean a deck is to clean it on your hands and knees with soapy water and rags. Another way is to spray it off with a garden hose. A third way to clean a deck is pressure washing it.
Pressure washing is the garden hose method on steroids. It uses a high-pressure water jet to remove the mold, grime, dust, mud, chewing gum, and dirt from your deck. As much as it sounds like a “clean-all,” caution must be taken near anyone using such a powerful tool. Do not let children near the area being cleaned. It may look cool, but it can cause serious injuries. Since it is a dangerous tool, it should be used by professionals. Professionals have the experience and knowledge to use pressure washing equipment and the correct pumps and nozzles to use on the various decking materials. Some materials have a poor reaction to pressure washing, since they cannot withstand the force of the pressured water. Hardwoods, like South American hardwoods, will withstand the force with ease. Softer woods are still acceptable, so long as the nozzle does not get too close to the wood. Whichever type of wood your deck uses, the service provider will test the lowest pressured nozzle on an inconspicuous area to ensure the wood will not be worn away during cleaning. Composite decks usually do not need pressure washing because they are built to resist stains. If they are not clean after some light scrubbing and a rinse from a garden hose, then consider pressure washing, but always check your warranty before pressure washing your composite deck.
Another place that is tempting to clean is your roof. Especially if one of your neighbors or relatives is constantly telling you to clean it, or if you can see moss or grime encroaching your roof. Sometimes the garden hose isn’t enough. Pressure washing can get rid of roof growths, too. Only professionals should pressure wash roofs, though. Anything can go wrong when dealing with high-pressured objects, so minimize injuries by allowing a professional to do the work. Again, they have the equipment and expertise to handle such situations. Let them do the work so you do not damage yourself, your family, or your roof.
Pressure washing is the garden hose method on steroids. It uses a high-pressure water jet to remove the mold, grime, dust, mud, chewing gum, and dirt from your deck. As much as it sounds like a “clean-all,” caution must be taken near anyone using such a powerful tool. Do not let children near the area being cleaned. It may look cool, but it can cause serious injuries. Since it is a dangerous tool, it should be used by professionals. Professionals have the experience and knowledge to use pressure washing equipment and the correct pumps and nozzles to use on the various decking materials. Some materials have a poor reaction to pressure washing, since they cannot withstand the force of the pressured water. Hardwoods, like South American hardwoods, will withstand the force with ease. Softer woods are still acceptable, so long as the nozzle does not get too close to the wood. Whichever type of wood your deck uses, the service provider will test the lowest pressured nozzle on an inconspicuous area to ensure the wood will not be worn away during cleaning. Composite decks usually do not need pressure washing because they are built to resist stains. If they are not clean after some light scrubbing and a rinse from a garden hose, then consider pressure washing, but always check your warranty before pressure washing your composite deck.
Another place that is tempting to clean is your roof. Especially if one of your neighbors or relatives is constantly telling you to clean it, or if you can see moss or grime encroaching your roof. Sometimes the garden hose isn’t enough. Pressure washing can get rid of roof growths, too. Only professionals should pressure wash roofs, though. Anything can go wrong when dealing with high-pressured objects, so minimize injuries by allowing a professional to do the work. Again, they have the equipment and expertise to handle such situations. Let them do the work so you do not damage yourself, your family, or your roof.
residential exterior
The weather can whip up all kinds of nasty storms and your residence’s exterior shields you from them. From rain to snow to dust storms to high wind, your exterior keeps you safe, but with all the elements of the weather comes a fair amount of dirt as well. Eventually, a layer of dirty dust accumulates in the areas that don’t get much rain exposure, coating your siding or paint. In most cases, the accumulation happens in hard to reach areas, especially if it is a two-story house. The garden hose and its attachments can only reach so high before the water falls back to the ground. You can risk washing your exterior using a ladder to reach those difficult spots, but it can be a prelude to disaster. Or no matter how much elbow grease you put into cleaning the siding, it still won’t release the stubborn particles caught in the grooves of the siding. Those are frustrating situations, but there is a solution: pressure washing.
Pressure washing uses high-pressure water to clean even the most stubborn stains or, in this case, the most stubborn siding. As this method utilizes potentially dangerous elements (i.e. high-velocity water gun), a rule must be followed for the well-being of everyone involved.
Rule: Do not let children or irresponsible people near the cleaning vicinity. In fact, do not let children outside while this work is being done. They will balk at the idea of not seeing the cool water gun, but it is for everyone’s safety as much as theirs. They could get underfoot or think the cleaning equipment is a toy, both possibilities can lead to disastrous consequences involving injury to them, the service provider, or anyone else in the vicinity. Irresponsible people would see the equipment as a cool toy or as a potential tool to threaten others. If the first option, they should be kept inside with the children. If the latter, keep them inside away from the children. Leave the equipment to the professional.
With everyone safely evacuated to the house, the service provider can begin their work. First, they will ask questions about your exterior. If it is painted, they will ask if the house was built before 1978. Homes built prior to 1978 were painted with lead-based paint. When the paint is pressure washed, it could flake off. Because lead is a heavy metal, it will never break down, thus posing a health risk for you and your family. If your exterior is siding, then the answer wanders into the gray area. Vinyl siding can typically withstand pressure washing because it’s pliable. Rubber cement siding is the same. However, aluminum siding can dent easily, so your service provider will start with the lowest pressure setting with a broad nozzle, using only concentrated bursts on tougher, more stubborn areas. The service provider will do their utmost to prevent water from becoming trapped between the siding and the exterior sheathing, such moisture build-up is a prime breeding ground for mold.
Another warning is the volume when the equipment is being used. Safety gear, including gloves, protective boots, safety goggles, and hearing protection, are a must when handling or in the vicinity of someone handling pressure washing equipment. This is another reason why children should not be near the service provider. The provider would not be able to hear the children, which poses a risk for everyone involved. Keep children and pets away from the area.
Another heads-up is if you wish to learn along side the pros, know it will take several times before you get the basics. As mentioned previously, they will be wearing hearing protection, as should you, which will hinder any attempts at communication. Also know you will get wet, if you hate getting wet while cleaning, just leave it to the pros and go inside.
An important thing to note is your service provider will ask for the locations of your meter boxes, exterior outlets, and your electrical service line. They are not asking to sabotage your week, but to take proper safety measures so your week isn’t sabotaged. Introducing any of these elements to water would be disastrous for you and the service provider, so they will cover, tape, and protect all those elements from any kind of moisture.
A service provider will do the job, so you don’t have to put yourself in harm’s way to make sure your home is clean. They have the expertise and know how, and they are certified to do their job. Find a pressure washer today!
Pressure washing uses high-pressure water to clean even the most stubborn stains or, in this case, the most stubborn siding. As this method utilizes potentially dangerous elements (i.e. high-velocity water gun), a rule must be followed for the well-being of everyone involved.
Rule: Do not let children or irresponsible people near the cleaning vicinity. In fact, do not let children outside while this work is being done. They will balk at the idea of not seeing the cool water gun, but it is for everyone’s safety as much as theirs. They could get underfoot or think the cleaning equipment is a toy, both possibilities can lead to disastrous consequences involving injury to them, the service provider, or anyone else in the vicinity. Irresponsible people would see the equipment as a cool toy or as a potential tool to threaten others. If the first option, they should be kept inside with the children. If the latter, keep them inside away from the children. Leave the equipment to the professional.
With everyone safely evacuated to the house, the service provider can begin their work. First, they will ask questions about your exterior. If it is painted, they will ask if the house was built before 1978. Homes built prior to 1978 were painted with lead-based paint. When the paint is pressure washed, it could flake off. Because lead is a heavy metal, it will never break down, thus posing a health risk for you and your family. If your exterior is siding, then the answer wanders into the gray area. Vinyl siding can typically withstand pressure washing because it’s pliable. Rubber cement siding is the same. However, aluminum siding can dent easily, so your service provider will start with the lowest pressure setting with a broad nozzle, using only concentrated bursts on tougher, more stubborn areas. The service provider will do their utmost to prevent water from becoming trapped between the siding and the exterior sheathing, such moisture build-up is a prime breeding ground for mold.
Another warning is the volume when the equipment is being used. Safety gear, including gloves, protective boots, safety goggles, and hearing protection, are a must when handling or in the vicinity of someone handling pressure washing equipment. This is another reason why children should not be near the service provider. The provider would not be able to hear the children, which poses a risk for everyone involved. Keep children and pets away from the area.
Another heads-up is if you wish to learn along side the pros, know it will take several times before you get the basics. As mentioned previously, they will be wearing hearing protection, as should you, which will hinder any attempts at communication. Also know you will get wet, if you hate getting wet while cleaning, just leave it to the pros and go inside.
An important thing to note is your service provider will ask for the locations of your meter boxes, exterior outlets, and your electrical service line. They are not asking to sabotage your week, but to take proper safety measures so your week isn’t sabotaged. Introducing any of these elements to water would be disastrous for you and the service provider, so they will cover, tape, and protect all those elements from any kind of moisture.
A service provider will do the job, so you don’t have to put yourself in harm’s way to make sure your home is clean. They have the expertise and know how, and they are certified to do their job. Find a pressure washer today!
