Pressure washing the exterior of your home is an excellent way to give it a thorough cleaning or prepare it for repainting or refinishing. Spraying water at a high velocity on the sidings and trims of your dwelling, with or without detergent mixed in, will remove grime, dirt, and powdery residue from corroded paint effectively. This helps ensure a new coat of paint you may want applied to your exterior surfaces will last.
When Not to Power Wash
Pressure washing, also referred to as power washing, is not intended for the removal of paint from sidings even though it is capable of doing this if sprayed long enough in one spot. Training the forceful jet of water this way will erode soft wood sidings and dislodge mortar from brickwork.
Power washes can be used as a cleaning method on most siding materials, including vinyl, wood, metal and certain types of masonry. But they should never be used on hardboard, which needs to be protected from moisture, and stucco which can get easily defaced by the water and its impact.
If you suspect that your house is coated with paint dating back to 1987, when lead was still a common ingredient of applied finishes, don't apply a pressure wash. And, you would also be better off not doing the washing yourself if your dwelling is two stories high or rather grand in scale. Leave the job to the safer and more experienced hands of professionals.
Pressure Washing Equipment
Pressure washers can be leased from equipment rentals. They vary in size and pressure or spray power specification, ranging between 1200 and 3000 pounds per square inch (PSI). 1200-1500 psi models are mild enough for such vulnerable siding materials as aluminum, wood, and certain types of steel. Stronger makes, or those in the 2500-3000 psi range may be used for unpainted surfaces like vinyl. Renting these pieces of equipment from Marietta pressure washing will cost you around to each day.
Pressure wash apparatus with stronger jets allow shorter cleaning times. Chose one that has provision for adding detergent to the spray, but mix in the non-phosphate detergent substitute trisodium phosphate (TSP) instead. One pound of TSP is good for four gallons of water. Rinse using plain water.
Operating the Pressure Washing Apparatus Safely
Before you power wash, scrub off any mildew clinging to the surfaces to be cleaned. Operate the equipment using both hands, and never while you are on a ladder. You may rent an adjustable extension shaft that elevates from six to 12 feet for your high areas, but bear in mind that this contraption can be tricky to handle.
Point the nozzle three feet away from the wall at first, gradually moving closer until you gauge that spray impact is forceful enough to remove dirt from the siding without damaging it. Never be closer than a foot away from the surface. Do not point the sprayer at windows. Avoid directing it upwards so as not to push water under a siding.
Remember: the pressure making the water squirt is extremely strong, so never point the nozzle at anyone and always protect your eyes with safety goggles. Keeping the wand, water and yourself away from electrical devices or wiring is another important precaution to take.
Steps for Pressure Washing Your House
Outlined below is a general procedure for a do-it-yourself pressure wash of your home's exterior:
1) Protect plants, lamps and other lighting fixtures, and anything breakable around the house with drop cloths, plastic bags and duct tape. Remove obstacles, and temporarily place outdoor furniture away from the edifice.
2) Connect the garden hose to the pressure washer. If the apparatus has a detergent dispenser, pour in cleaning solution, preferably a mixture of TSP and water.
3) Proceed with the cleaning from the top down. Wield the wand at a 45 degree angle, and direct the water jet at overhangs, soffits, downspouts and gutters. Then "spray brush" sidings with a steady, side-to-side sweeping motion. The nozzle should be around two feet away from the wall surface, but you can fine-tune this distance by moving slightly backward or forward to obtain optimal cleaning action.
As much as possible, aim the spout slightly downward to avoid blasting water up beneath horizontal lap joints of sidings. When cleaning areas around windows, hold the wand in such a way that the water streams at an angle away from windows so water doesn't get through unsealed in-between spaces surrounding the frame.
4) With a garden hose, rinse the cleaning solution off the sidings with clear water, again working from the top down. If you intend to apply a fresh coat of paint, give the sidings no less than two days to dry up completely.
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