How Often Should You Pressure Wash Your Home?
Pressure washing is a fast option when your house starts to look drab and outdated. Within just a few hours, your house can be returned to its beautiful appearance by nothing more than high pressure water.
You can rent power washing equipment from many home improvement stores, or you can call Arlington pressure washing service. It will be a little more expensive upfront, but you won’t need to deal with returning rented equipment or run the risk of damaging your house because of lack of training or experience.
However, power washing can damage your home just as quickly as it can beautify it. The pressurized water can break windows, damage siding and destroy shingles. Therefore, you need to be careful about how often you power 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 on where your house is located and weather factors based on that location.
Most pros recommend having your house pressure washed once a year or, at least every 2 years.
Any pressure washing service that tells you more frequent services are necessary is probably trying to squeeze more money out of you. However, it’s your house, and if you love the way it looks after a cleaning, you can power wash your house several times each year.
By just touching the exterior of your house, you will be able to tell if it’s time for a cleaning. The presence of dust, mud and grime can stain the outside of your house permanently if it isn’t removed from time to time, so you could have to change from a set schedule if you notice excess buildup between cleanings.
Power washing can be detrimental, but not doing it enough can leave your house looking dirtier far more than it should. It’s important to note that home building materials, particularly vinyl siding, are very resistant to stains, mold and mildew. These types of materials help to protect your house between power washings.
Why Pressure Washing is the Preferred Method
Pressure washing is safer than scrubbing the outside of your house because you do not need to climb up and down a ladder with a brush and a bucket while pulling ahose. Power washing can be accomplished from the ground in almost all residential situations.
Mold and mildew are living organisms that eat away at exterior surfaces and find their way into your house. They are not very easy to get rid of, yet it is very easy for these things to form 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.
And, power washing removes more dirt and grime than hand scrubbing.
Factors that Affect Your Home’s Exterior
All of the below factors can negatively impact the appearance. All are factors that must be considered before you call a professional pressure washer or attempt the job yourself.
CLIMATE
Factors like humidity and weather events create a perfect environment for mold and mildew. If you live in a rainy area, you may also have wind and rain splashing mud onto the side of your house.
ENVIRONMENT
Pollen, pollution and mold are more of a threat in some areas than in others. Living in a rural area or next to an unpaved road will factor into what types of environmental factors affect 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 doesn’t do more damage. Power washing can also expedite a peeling paint problem.
EXTERIOR FINISH
The processes used for pressure washing are unique to your home’s exterior (brick, siding or paint) and the section of the home. For example, for roof cleaning, a pressure washing technician will use soft washing instead of power washing to protect the shingles. Also, the results can vary widely based on technique.
When to Pressure Wash Your Home
Determining the optimal time to have your house pressure washed is as important as deciding how often the service has to be completed. There are certain times throughout the year when power washing would be a total waste of time and money. Other times, however, a professional pressure washing service could benefit you in more ways than just appearance.
WEATHER
Do not waste money on professional power washing in a rainy time of year. You’ll just end up with muddy stains and mildew at the end of the season regardless. Winter, for example, isn’t the best time. Pressure washing is the most useful 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 while you are having different projects done on your house. Rock, brick or siding could not be tightened into place during a renovation or repair like it will normally be, which means you run the risk of damaging the area, disrupting the ongoing work and trapping water under building materials.
BEFORE SELLING
Pressure washing is a cost-effective way to increase your curb appeal. It’s the easiest 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 exterior surfaces to dry quickly without baking cleaning solutions onto your home’s surfaces.
If you live in a neighborhood with an home owner’s association, there could be rules about how often you have your house power washed or whether you can do it by yourself or if you have to hire a local service. You may only be under HOA rules regarding how your house appears, but it’s ultimately up to you to have it looking maintained.
Power washing is one of the quickest and most effective ways 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 built up dirt and stains.