Pressure Washing Tips You Could Use Around Your Home
If you do a quick search online, you may find very quickly that there are some pretty crazy methods of pressure washing. You might find people using a pressure washer for anything from cutting watermelons, to cutting through a tool shed!
As entertaining as that can be to watch, you might not get very much educational value from it.
If you live in any part of the Greater Vancouver area like Maple Ridge, Langley, the Tri-Cities area, you know how much algae, mold lichen, and moss can grow in one season. A word of caution. Pressure washers are dangerous if not used correctly.
Follow the manufactures instructions and always wear safety glasses and PPE if possible.
Below you’ll find these top 6 surfaces you can clean by using a pressure washer safely.
1. Pressure Washing Tips for Patios
Pressure washing a patio is quite easy to do, provided you are using the right tip and have some experience. If your patio is a concrete patio and it needs cleaning, try to clean off as much of the debris with a broom or a leaf blower as possible.
High pressure can send dirt and debris into the air and cause personal injury or damage to your home and windows. Try not to aim too close to the concrete or you will remove the sealant and have to reseal the concrete patio after.
2. Pressure Washing Tips for Decks
Sometimes decks are covered with vinyl or other waterproofing material. Be sure to check with the installers if it’s safe to clean with a pressure washer. Pressure washing a covered deck is really quite simple. Try to aim away from the house to prevent the risk of causing damage.
If you are washing the house as well, make sure you cover all electrical on the walls, including light fixtures and cameras. You don’t want to get electrocuted and you certainly don’t want to start a fire.
3. Pressure Washing Tips for Driveways
You may have even seen a pressure washing company pushing a machine like they’re pushing a lawnmower on the driveway. That’s a flat surface cleaner. Those are ideal for cleaning flat surfaces thoroughly as they have rotating tips that evenly cleans a larger area.
If you decide to pick one up or rent one, be sure to learn how to use it first. Never leave it running in one spot or you’ll find yourself with a nice cutout circle on your driveway. Never use it on a roof, it’s just not a good idea.
To learn more about cleaning your roof you can “Top 5 Reasons To Get A Roof Cleaning”.
5. Pressure Washing Tips for Retaining Walls
Of course retaining walls come in all shapes and sizes. One thing is for sure, they take a lot of abuse from the ground above. All the runoff from the lawns can leave a sizeable discolored painting of green and algae.
But don’t be discouraged, if you have the time and lots of hose length than you can handle the task. If you decide to use a cleaner of some kind to downstream into the gun, then make sure you start from the bottom to the top.
That way the soap becomes more concentrated and prevents the possibility of streaking. Then rinse from the top to bottom.
6. Pressure Washing Tips for Vinyl Siding
Siding is very durable but it’s not durable enough to withstand the pressure from a pressure washer. You must never wash underneath the siding or you will push water in behind the siding. You can even rip off the siding if you’re not careful. Never use a red tip or a tip that’s designed to spray straight water under pressure.
You will most certainly have adverse effects. The most common, and recommended, approach to washing your house is soft washing. Soft washing is a method in which using a special mix of biodegradable and safe chemicals is sprayed gently on your home and left to dwell for 5 to 10 mins.
Then it’s rinsed off using a higher pressure than soap application was used, but just enough to guarantee the removal of the safe chemicals. If you’ve never done this before please reach out to your local Roof cleaning or pressure washing business and get an estimate.
So if you think you need to hire a professional to help you with your pressure washing needs, then feel free to contact ClearView Home Services for a no-obligation quote.
ClearView Home Services
10550 248 St #34
Maple Ridge, BC
V2W 0H9
(604) 944-9972
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