How Often Should You Pressure Wash Your Home?
Pressure washing is a quick solution if your house starts looking drab and dated. Within just a couple of hours, your house can be renewed to its beautiful appearance by nothing more than high pressure water.
You can rent pressure washing equipment at home improvement stores, or you can hire a Coral Springs pressure washing service. It might be costly upfront, but you won’t have to deal with returning equipment or run the risk of harming your house because of lack of training or experience.
However, pressure washing can damage your home just as fast as it can renew it. The pressurized water is powerful enough to break windows, damage siding and ruin roof shingles. Therefore, you really have to be careful how often you pressure wash your house and who you let do it.
Is it Time to Pressure Wash Your Home?
The question of how often to pressure wash your home is one that depends heavily on where your house is and environmental factors around that location.
Most pros will recommend having your house pressure washed every year or, at least every 2 years.
Any pressure washing company that tells you more frequent services are necessary is just trying to squeeze a little more money out of you. However, it’s your house, and if you love the way it looks after a cleaning, you can pressure wash your house several times a year.
By touching the exterior of your house, you will be able to tell if it needs a cleaning. The presence of dirt, mud and grime can stain the outside of your house permanently if it isn’t removed periodically, so you could have to deviate from a planned schedule if you notice too much buildup between cleanings.
Power washing can be harmful, but not doing it often enough will leave your house looking lackluster more than it should. It’s important to note that home building materials, especially vinyl siding, are very resistant to stains, mold and mildew. These types of materials help to protect your house between pressure washings.
Why Pressure Washing is the Preferred Method
Pressure washing is safer than scrubbing the outside of your house because you do not have to climb a ladder with a brush and a bucket while dragging a garden hose. Power washing can be done from the ground in almost all residential situations.
Mold and mildew are organic organisms that can eat away at exterior surfaces and make their way into your house. They are not very easy to remove, yet it is extremely easy for them to grow into colonies on your home, particularly on the north side where it usually doesn’t get much sunlight or wind as the other sides of your house.
Plus, pressure washing removes more dirt and grime than hand scrubbing.
Factors that Affect Your Home’s Exterior
All of the following items can impact the appearance of a home. All are factors that must be considered before you hire a nearby pressure washer or attempt the job on your own.
CLIMATE
Factors like humidity and extreme weather can create a perfect environment for mold and mildew to grow. If your home is in an area that is rainy, you may also have wind and a lot of rain splashing mud onto the exterior of your house.
ENVIRONMENT
Pollen, pollution and mold can be bigger problem in some areas of Coral Springs than in others. Having a home in a more rural area or near an unpaved road will factor into what type of environmental factors impact your house more.
HOME CONDITION
If you do decide to have your house pressure washed, it could be a good idea to have chipped siding replaced so the high pressure water won’t do any more damage. Power washing can also worsen a peeling paint problem.
EXTERIOR FINISH
The processes used for pressure washing are specific to your home’s exterior (brick, siding or paint) and the area of the home. For example, for roof cleaning, a pressure washing technician will use soft washing instead of pressure washing to protect the roof shingles. Also, the expected results can vary widely based on technique.
When to Pressure Wash Your Home
Choosing the best time to have your house pressure washed is as important as choosing how often the service has to be completed. There are times throughout the year when pressure washing would be a real waste of time and money. Different times, however, a professional pressure washing service can benefit you in more ways than just appearance.
WEATHER
Do not waste any money on professional pressure washing during a rainy season. You’ll just end up with muddy splatter and mildew at the end of the season regardless. Winter, for example, isn’t the best time of year. Pressure washing is the most beneficial near the end of a season, whether it’s spring, summer, fall or winter.
BEFORE/AFTER HOME PROJECTS
Don’t plan to have your house pressure washed the same time you are having other work done on your house. Rock, brick or siding could not be fastened into place during a repair like it would typically be, which means you run the risk of ruining the area, prolonging the other project and trapping water under building materials.
BEFORE SELLING
Pressure washing is a great way to increase your curb appeal. It’s the simple answer for all your home’s outside surfaces, including sidewalks, porches, driveways, patio furniture and wood and composite decks.
SUNNY DAYS
Pick a sunny day, but don’t choose one that is very hot. This is the best condition for the surfaces to dry fast without baking cleaning products onto your home’s surfaces.
If you have an home owner’s association, there could be rules about how regularly you have your house pressure washed or whether you can do it by yourself or if you are required to hire a local company. You may only be under HOA guidelines concerning how your house appears, but it’s usually up to you to keep it looking maintained.
Power washing is one of the simplest and most effective methods to clean your entire home. As long as it’s done the right way, it is safe for most surfaces and can eliminate years of dirt and stains.