Most people know that a quality pressure cleaning can make a world of difference on the appearance of your home or businesses exterior. What a lot of people aren’t sure of is what exactly they can and cannot pressure wash. I want to go over some of the benefits of pressure washing as well as some of the dangers that can come up when cleaning your property.
Maintaining Appearance and Curb Appeal by Pressure Washing
Appearance and curb appeal would be the first obvious benefits to maintaining your home with a pressure washer. Cleaning off all of the dirt, grime, mold, and algae that build up on the exterior surfaces of our properties is sure to be a satisfying experience if done by someone with the right equipment and technique. You can restore walls, soffits, gutters, enclosures, fences, decks, pavers, and many surfaces to their former glory, sometimes in ways you didn’t even know were possible.
We discussed in an earlier article the possible health risks created by mold and algae, but things like pollen and other allergens can also be accumulating on your property. Pressure washing will remove these unhealthy and unsightly foes.
Always Pressure Wash Before You Paint
Before you paint, you power wash! This will remove dirt and grime built up on the exterior surfaces you will be painting allowing the paint to have a clean even surface to be applied to.This will also help the paint to more effectively adhere to the surface being painted, which allows for a better end result and makes the paint last longer.
Pressure Washing is Affordable
The best thing is that it’s affordable! The average home and driveway can be professionally pressure cleaned for less than the cost of buying one new. By the time you figure in gas, oil, maintenance, the time to do the work and the stress from the Florida heat, it seems like a no brainer.
If Done Incorrectly, Pressure Washing Yourself Can Be Costly
There are some areas where you need to be careful. The right amount of pressure combined with the correct chemical mixtures can brighten up the appearance of your property overnight, but too much pressure can end up costing you more money! Windows, roofs, soffits, siding, fixtures, and numerous areas around your home are built to withstand some weather and light pressure but cannot handle the higher pressure a lot of the machines can produce. If you aren’t familiar with the correct procedures you can end up denting, breaking, shorting out, or even causing leaks around your home in the process.
Though pressure washing is a benefit before painting, if you aren’t planning on getting that new paint job just yet, you can speed that process up with too much pressure also. Pool decks, painted walkways or patios, and painted wooden surfaces are especially susceptible to paint peeling.
The truth is, most if not all pressure washers these days are using some sort of chemical to aid in the cleaning process. A lot of these chemicals can be harmful to plants and animals and even humans if used in excess. You need to be experienced in using these chemicals and the proper mix rates. This also means that overspray can land on other areas round your property that could be stained or damaged by the chemicals, like furniture, vehicles, rugs, etc.
There is no question that pressure cleaning is a quick and effective way to restore your home or business at a reasonable cost. This, however, is the epitome of a situation where you “get what you pay for". Be sure you can trust that your experience will get you the benefits of pressure washing and not the cons.
If you need help pressure washing your home or business in the Central Florida area, contact Dykes Pressure Cleaning and hire effective, professional pressure cleaners you can trust.