Is the dirt on the outside of your house causing you to feel under pressure? You can turn away from it like a blind man or sit on the fence, but it won’t work. The best solution is to call Custom Acres to pressure wash your property.
Pressure washing is a versatile method of cleaning many solid outdoor materials, but it’s not for the faint of heart, or more accurately, the untrained. A lot goes into pressure washing that may not be obvious from watching from the outside.
Don’t let the pressure get to you! We’re about to tell you more than you need to know to start pressure washing your property.
What Is Pressure Washing?
You’ve probably seen signs up around your town for people who do pressure washing. Perhaps you’ve used a pressure washer or seen someone pressure washing before.
Pressure washing is a way to clean a home that uses a high-powered stream of water mixed with a cleaning solution to clean outdoor surfaces. Water is pressured to levels starting at 2800 PSI in heavy-duty pressure washers, but professional washers can go much higher.
For comparison, champagne makers pressurize their products to about 70 to 90 psi, and car tires run at about half of that. That means even non-professional pressure washers can be forty times more forceful than a champagne bottle! It would be best to use extreme caution when working with a pressure washer.
Power washing is pressure washing that adds the element of heat to the cleaning.
What Can Be Pressure Washed?
Not every surface can be pressure washed. Anything soft or any aggregate should not be pressure washed.
While a patio or stone makes for good pressure washing candidates, sandstone does not. Pressure-treated wood can be pressure washed, but softwood can’t. Older surfaces or anything not in good condition should also not be pressure washed.
Pressure washing is effective for horizontal and vertical surfaces such as outside walls, patios, driveways, fencing, and more, provided the materials are hearty enough to stand up to the washer. You can and should adjust PSI depending on what surface you are washing.
Even when washing appropriate surfaces with a pressure washer, the pros must take care not to cause damage. The washer must use different levels of pressure and suitable methods while washing.
When Is a Good Time to Pressure Wash?
Pressure washing is typically a summer chore. You don’t need to pressure when it’s hot, but you can’t pressure wash when it’s cold. Not that it’s too relevant here in Florida, but you should never pressure wash when the weather forecasts that the temperature will dip below freezing within the week.
Why can’t you pressure wash when it gets below freezing? The benefit of pressure washing is the water gets into all the difficult places, the crevices you can’t even see. But, unfortunately, that’s also the problem with pressure washing before it gets cold.
If you pressure wash your home just before an unseasonable cold snap, the water might not have a chance to evaporate. Then when the temperature dips below thirty-two degrees, the water would freeze and expand, potentially expanding your materials with it and creating cracks throughout your home.
Pressure Washing Safety
You might not think of water as dangerous, but if you’ve ever seen footage of the aftermath of a tidal wave, you’ll know how powerful water can be.
Pressure washing injuries are common, including lacerations, bruises, and eye injuries. In some cases, injuries have even been fatal.
While pressure washing should be left to the professionals, even professionals should take caution and wear protective eye gear such as goggles or another shield.
Why Should I Have My Property Pressure Washed?
The many reasons for pressure washing your property extend beyond the obvious “it’s nicer when things are clean” reason. But that is an excellent place to start.
It’s Nicer When Things Are Clean
We all prefer clean homes to dirty ones. Cleaner homes make us feel better! And clean homes look better too. You may find your home looks practically new after a good washing.
For many homeowners, this is reason enough to pressure wash their homes.
Your Family’s Health
As dirt builds up, it brings with it bacteria and mold spores. This bacteria and mold can collect in the nooks and crannies throughout your home that you can’t see with the naked eye. Over time, this can negatively impact your health.
Mold will not necessarily affect everyone in the same way. Experts estimate that about ten percent of Americans are allergic to mold. People with these allergies are negatively affected by mold, as are asthmatics.
Pressure washing can remove dirt, bacteria, and mold spores before they grow to the point that it becomes a problem. You’ll have to take more extreme actions if you wait until someone has an allergic reaction
Pressure Washing Saves Money
Pressure washing as part of your maintenance routine will save you money in the long run. We mentioned mold spores and how they can affect your health. Treating allergies is more expensive than occasional washing, and pressure washing is far better on your budget than a mold remediation specialist.
In addition, pressure washing prevents the buildup of materials than can eventually damage your home. For example, as buildup accumulates on your vinyl, it can, over time, break down the clear coat, making your home more susceptible to wear, and requiring you to replace material sooner.
So, when was the last time you had your home pressure washed? Do you remember what color it used to be? The dirt level doesn’t need to be that dramatic to benefit your home and family.
Call Custom Acres if you’d like a pressure washing quote or consult. Soon your home will be looking brand new. Then, you’ll have lines of admiring people on the street. Mm-ba-ba-be…