Will Power Washing Cause Damage on Your Property?
Does power washing cause damage on your house or property? Well, the answer is yes. This is why it is important to take some safety precautions to successfully power wash your home leaving it unscathed at the end of the process. There is always the risk of causing permanent damage if you lack the proper knowledge and experience when it comes to power washing a house.
Below are some of the damages power washing can cause when done incorrectly:
Shutters, shingles, siding, and others may get accidentally removed or dented.
Water can accumulate under the siding of a house that can cause mildew and mold growth.
Stone and wood surfaces can get cracked or splintered.
Paint may become unnecessarily discolored or removed.
This is just a tiny example of what might happen to your house if you don’t take power washing seriously. At the end of the day, remember that power washing should be a home improvement project. This is supposed to make your property look more beautiful that will make you want to brag about it to your neighbors. Never allow it to become a large home repair project that can lead to an empty wallet.
To properly power wash your home, you need to understand all the complexities of pressure, technique, and distance.
Pressure
Power washing and pressure washing are two terms used interchangeably most of the time since both partly use water force to achieve the goal of cleaning surfaces. However, pressure is not a great thing all the time. When the pressure is higher, the risk of damage is also higher.
Some surfaces such as concrete can always handle large amounts of pressure. There is often a need to clean the deep pores and get rid of winter, dirt, and grime buildup. Other surfaces such as roof shingles must not be treated with pressure. Soft wash should be used instead. It is easy for water to get under the roof that can result to different problems.
It is not as simple as choosing one pressure then lugging the machine around the yard when you power wash a home. You have to be familiar with the specific type of surface you are washing, what it is made of, as well as the right pressure that should be used for washing.
Safe Distance
The distance of the surface that you want to clean from the power washing wand is as equally essential as the pressure you will use. Imagine using high amounts of water pressure just 3 inches away from the deck surface. What will happen? Of course, you can remove the surface dirt but you will also discolor, mark, and scratch the surface. This isn’t good, right?
Similar to pressure, you can determine the best distance through identifying the specific surface you want to wash. Stucco is different from vinyl siding. Brick patios are different from concrete. You need o consider these things.
With all the things at stake, power washing is something you should entrust to the hands of professionals.