Regular, consistent residential pressure washing by an experienced professional ensures that your home and property always look their best and that exterior surfaces are protected from mold, mildew, algae, and other damaging contaminants. However, many homeowners don’t realize that there is a difference between pressure washing and power washing!
Pressure washing uses
high pressure to remove built-up dirt and grime from exterior surfaces, while
power washing uses hot water to dissolve oily debris and residues you cannot
clean with added pressure alone.
Most pressure washing companies will offer both forms of
exterior cleaning, but it’s useful for a homeowner to understand a few vital
details about these services, to ensure you choose the right company and the
right form of cleaning for your property. Knowing how both pressure cleaning
and power washing work can also ensure you rely on an expert for these services
rather than assuming you can rent pressure washing equipment and tackle this
job yourself!
Help for Choosing Residential Pressure Washing versus Power Washing
Check out some differences between residential pressure
washing and standard power washing, and when these services are recommended for
your home.
Pressure washing is about 100 times more
powerful than a standard garden hose, which is why it’s so effective but
sometimes outright dangerous for a residential property.
A pressure washer pushes away debris from your
property’s surfaces; for example, high-pressure washing is effective for
removing twigs, leaves, seeds, and other debris from gutters, sidewalks, and
exterior decks.
Pressure washing loosens residues stuck to your property’s
exterior surfaces, including chewing gum, food stains, built-up sand and silt,
cobwebs, insect nests, bird’s nests, and thick mud.
High-pressure washing helps loosen and remove
mud, dirt, sand, silt, and other debris ground into the pits and pores of
exterior concrete and stone.
A high-pressure wand is useful for cleaning
upper stories of a home while staying safely on the ground!
Hot water used during power washing helps
dissolve oily residues, including automotive fluids.
Residential power washing is often recommended
for washing away mold, mildew, and other biological contaminants.
Residues stuck to your property’s exterior
surfaces after pressure washing might need power washing; for example, the hot
water used during power washing can dissolve sticky chewing gum you can’t wash
away, as well as tough food stains.
Power washing gutters and driveways dissolves or
literally melts away tough layers of mud, dirt, and other debris.
Power washing with hot water removes pet stains
from areas like outside decks and sidewalks, leaving behind a clean and safe
surface.
When to Choose Residential Power Washing Over Pressure Cleaning
While both power washing and high-pressure cleaning have
their advantages, you might note when to choose power washing with hot water
versus cleaning certain surfaces with high-pressure washing equipment alone.
High-pressure cleaning might leave behind
etching, scratches, and other marks on soft wood fences and decks. Too much
pressure can also split and chip dry and brittle wood. Power washing is then
often recommended for wood fences, decks, roofing tiles, and other such surfaces.
High-pressure washing can crack and even
outright shatter windows, especially old and thin glass panes damaged from
long-term sun exposure.
If your property’s metal, concrete, or wood
surfaces are suffering from old and peeling paint, high-pressure washing might
create even more chips and cracks in that paint or other such coatings.
Using too much pressure on window screens and
screens for patio and entryway doors might shred those screens or weaken and
bend them. Your window screens might then curve inward or outward or have loose
mesh that allows in bugs, dust, and dirt!
Roof cleaning is best done with low-pressure
washing, to avoid loosening shingles and tiles or washing granules off the
surface of asphalt shingles.
While too much pressure can kick up dirt from
concrete and other outside surfaces, pressure washing also removes weeds and
other vegetation from the cracks and pits of concrete sidewalks and driveways
as well as growth between patio pavers, edging, and other landscaping features.
Pressure washing reaches into the nooks and
crannies of roof eaves, porch roofs, brick and mortar, and solid panel fencing,
ensuring a proper clean of these materials and surfaces.
A pressure washer might provide enough cleaning
power to make quick work of large surface areas, such as driveways, walkways,
or exterior walls.
What Is Soft Wash Cleaning?
A soft wash power washing relies on certain chemical detergents or surfactants as well as the proper “dwell time” to get surfaces clean. Dwell time refers to how long you allow a cleanser to sit on areas to be cleaned, so that detergents have a chance to dissolve thick mud, dirt, and solid debris.
After surfactants dissolve thick dirt and grime, a low-pressure washing removes that debris without loosening roofing tiles and shingles, etching and scratching wood surfaces, or damaging exterior glass. Soft wash cleaning also dissolves thick dirt and grime, making it an excellent choice for residential gutter cleaning, pool decks, and areas where dirt and mud tend to build up or get ground into and caked onto a surface.
While soft wash systems are an excellent choice for exterior
surfaces, remember that the detergents and surfactants used during a soft wash
pressure washing can be quite strong. If you have sensitivities to cleansers or
chemicals, it’s good to note that to your power washing contractor so he or she
can schedule your soft wash pressure washing for a time when you’ll be away
from home and those bothersome odors can dissipate before you return.
Why a Home Needs Professional Power Washing
It’s easy to assume you can rent or even buy the best
pressure washing equipment available today and manage your own exterior
property cleaning or house washing, but it’s good to rely on a professional power
washing contractor instead. Even if you decide to use a low-pressure washer,
you can still shatter a window or chip wood surfaces.
There is also a variety of pressure washer nozzles you might
use, each of which has its own purpose! Some nozzles offer a wider spray for
larger surfaces such as exterior walls, while others have a concentrated spray
for removing residues like chewing gum, old paint, and thick mud. Still other
nozzles have wider tips for use with thick detergents and solvents.
Residential pressure washing is also more dangerous than you
might realize. Spray and splatter can injure your skin and eyes, and washing
around electrical outlets and fixtures or running an electrical pressure
washer’s cord through water puddles can result in shock and electrocution.
Hiring a professional power washing contractor means protecting your property
while also keeping you safe as well.
When Does a Home Need
Professional Pressure Washing?
If you notice that your property’s exterior surfaces seem
dirty, streaky, or otherwise rundown and dull, it’s time for a professional
pressure washing! However, you might note when it’s time to call a power
washing contractor near you, to ensure your property looks its best and is in
good repair at all times.
If you enjoy spending summertime outdoors on a
patio or deck, call for exterior house washing, deck washing, and gutter
cleaning at the start of spring. A professional power washing contractor will
remove mold, mildew, and other bothersome contaminants from these areas so you
can breathe freely during summer months.
If you use lots of fertilizers and lawn care
chemicals and additives on your property, arrange for exterior concrete power
washing before wintertime. Concrete pressure washing removes lawn care chemical
residues, protecting exterior surfaces from damage during wintertime.
Homeowners who enjoy opening all their windows
during summertime should opt for professional window washing in spring. A
window washing contractor will clean exterior glass as well as screens and
window frames, providing a beautiful view to the outside. Dirty window screens
can also be coated with dust, dead bugs, and other bothersome debris. Have
these cleaned in springtime so you can enjoy fresh air in the home during
summer.
Roof washing reveals areas of a home’s roof in
need of repairs, including soft spots, water damage, and loose or damaged
shingles. If you haven’t had your home’s roof inspected or repaired in several
years, arrange for a roof washing so you can note if it’s time for a reroofing
or other such needed work.
Before you decide that your home’s exterior
deck, concrete sidewalk or driveway, or exterior walls need repainting or
resurfacing, have these areas pressure washed! A thorough power washing removes
years of built-up dirt and debris, restoring the color of these surfaces and
making them look like new. A professional power washing also prepares those
surfaces if you decide they still need new paint or other coatings!
Remember that it’s good to schedule pressure washing for
your home anytime you feel it’s needed, and especially if you live in an area
with lots of storms that leave dirt and debris on your property. A professional
power washing keeps your property looking its best and ensures it’s always in
good repair, as well as clean and hygienic and ready for you to enjoy!
