Before a house can be painted, the surfaces need to be cleaned and prepped. Power washing is often an efficient way to thoroughly clean your home’s exterior to prepare it for fresh paint. But just because your neighbor pulled out a pressure washer and went to town on his house doesn’t mean you should follow suit. Be aware of the dangers of pressure washing your house, and learn how to make sure it’s done right.
Dangers of Pressure Washing Your House
Even though people commonly use pressure washers on their houses, there are surprising dangers in the practice.
- When water is shot at pressures too high, it can get into your walls and your house. Your house is built to withstand rain and other moisture, and it can even withstand a low PSI with a pressure washer, but when pressure washers are used at full capacity, you may end up with soggy carpet, wet attics, and mold.
- When done incorrectly, a pressure washer can damage siding, even knocking it loose. The mortar on brick houses can be blasted away, as well, if the user doesn’t know what he or she is doing.
- In inexperienced hands, the pressure washer can destroy window screens, cause leaking in window seals, and more.
- It can remove paint, and if you were only planning on cleaning your house, you’ll now be faced with repainting as well.
Benefits of Pressure Washing Your House
With all those dangers, you may be wondering why you should even consider pressure washing your house. However, in the right hands, pressure washing can be incredibly beneficial to your home.
- When used at the proper levels, pressure washing can clean your house of grime, bird droppings, and unsightly stains. This improves curb appeal, and also just makes you happy to come home to your beautiful home.
- When done right, pressure washing is a valuable part of home maintenance that keeps your home in tip-top shape while preventing bigger problems down the road.
- Pressure washing removes mold and mildew, which are damaging to both your home and the health of your family. When mildew and mold go unchecked, they continue to grow — and mold can grow within walls, meaning your home’s interior could be affected.
- When done by a professional, pressure washing is a valuable step in preparing your home’s surfaces to be repainted.
In addition to cleaning the exterior of your house and preparing it for painting, pressure washing is excellent for decks and railings at low pressure; wood and vinyl fences at medium pressure; asphalt at medium pressure; and concrete driveways, metal patio furniture, and stone at high pressure.
Not DIY
Pressure washing is valuable, but only when done properly. To do it right, you have to have a knowledge of how it affects different materials, how those materials react to pressure, what to do in unexpected scenarios, and more. Because of this, you should only pressure wash your house if you’ve hired a licensed, professional contractor who cleans with low pressure.
New Life Painting is a licensed, professional contractor with the knowledge to remove mildew, loose paint, and stains from the exterior of your home. We can also completely strip, stain, and refinish your exteriors with a high-quality finish. We take pride in our work, and it shows. Give us a call at (805) 937-9836, or contact us online for a free estimate.
