Is Power Washing Bad For Your House?
Power washing can be a useful practice when you’re needing to spruce up your exterior. With its ability to wash away years of built up dirt and grime it’s an efficient remedy that can leave your house looking brand new, restoring curb appeal with one quick swipe. Aside from increasing curb appeal, power washing is also useful when prepping your exterior. Whether you’re planning on restaining, resurfacing, or repainting, power washing beforehand will leave you with a clean and dirt free surface for your project. As you wash away dirt and grime, you could also be washing away potential hazards for your family, such as mold and mildew. The benefits of power washing, and the time saved make this a very useful practice in home exterior maintenance, as with everything, though, the drawbacks follow close to the benefits.
What makes power washing so efficient at cleaning and clearing exteriors is the PSI, or rate at which it can spray out water. This efficiency can lead to some major issues if not handled correctly, though. Houses are built to withstand high rates of wind, rain, and other moisture. Though most homes can withstand pressure washing with low amounts of PSI, pressure washers used at full capacity can cause serious damage to the exterior of the house, and have the potential of leaving you with soggy carpets, wet attics and crawl spaces, and mold.
Aside from the risks you take to the interior of your home, power washing at full capacity comes with even more risks to the exterior. From displacing or damaging siding, to destroying window screens and unintentionally chipping away at paint— in inexperienced hands, power washing can cause real, costly damage. The one way to ensure you’re reaping the benefits of power washing, and avoiding the potential damages that can accompany it, is by knowing the correct pressure to use and most importantly, using proper detergents.
Detergents can increase the efficiency of power washing by adding a gentle cleansing component to the wash. Not only will using detergent help eliminate tough stains or marks on the surface, they can also help with the overall cleansing process. By using the correct detergent, you’re ensuring the best and most lasting clean, as well as potentially speeding up the cleansing process. When choosing a detergent to help aid in your power washing project, you’ll be presented with choices that correlate with your intended goal. There are detergents that are used for cleaning, and work best at removing dirt and build up. Then there are detergents that are used for sanitizing to kill most bacteria, and lastly there are detergents that are used as disinfectants that kill all organisms present. By understanding the range of detergents available, and their intended use or specialization you can make sure you’re getting the most out of your power washer without risking damage to your home or building. Play it safe and always hire a professional power washing company!
Contact us today at Under-Pressure Steam and Clean for a free quote!