Consider These Factors Before Power Washing Your Home

Do you need power washing services in Long Island? Even if you think you need your home to be pressure washed, you might actually need a power wash. Or vice versa!

The two are often used interchangeably in everyday language, but there’s a world of difference between them. Did you know power wash uses hot water and pressure washing doesn’t? That’s only one of many distinctions that we will go over in this article.

There are two main takeaways here: know the difference, and know when to hire a professional (hint: most of the time!). We are trained in what we do and will never use the wrong technique to get the job done.

Know the difference between power washing and pressure washing

Here are some vital differences between the two.

Power washing

Great for large areas.
Use where there is extreme weed buildup, mold, grease, moss, or dirt.
Heated water will loosen up grime and kill moss and mold.
Can be used to power wash your house.

Pressure washing

Great for small areas.
Use on brick, concrete, and masonry.
Don’t use it on the roof! It will damage it.
Uses regular water.
Sometimes it’s hard to know which one to use, or there are gray areas where you’re not really sure which is best. You can seriously damage your property if you choose the wrong method! Professionals always know when to pressure wash and when to power wash.

Learn about different cleaning solution options

Not all cleaning solutions are created equal. You need to know the difference between cleaners because it can make the difference between cleaning and destroying your surface.

There are four kinds of chemicals used. You can find labels about how to use them and what kind of surface they’re meant for.

Cleaners remove dirt.
Sanitizers kill bacteria within 30 seconds.
Disinfectants kill organisms within 30 minutes.

Each surface that you clean is different and needs different pressure, nozzle sizes, and chemicals. There are certain kinds of soaps for wood, concrete, and driveways. Be sure to get the right cleaner! You can just use water, but using soap will make a huge difference.

Know what should be washed and what shouldn’t be washed

You can’t safely power wash every single surface. Here are some surfaces you should avoid:

Stained wood: The wash can take the stain off of the wood.

Anything old: Old things may have rot that can disintegrate with a pressure wash.

Laminar sandstone: It’ll get washed away, or grooves will be washed into it. It’s too soft.

Learn the difference between home and commercial power washers

If you’re really into doing things yourself, it might be worth renting a commercial power washing machine instead of buying or renting a home unit if you’re cleaning a large area.

But your best option is to hire a professional! We know what we’re doing. When you power wash by yourself, you run the risk of damaging what you’re cleaning or leaving really obvious lines where you cleaned. You can also damage your machine or hurt somebody (including yourself).

Be safe

The water comes out of the wand with up to 2,000 pounds of force! That’s enough to send stone or chips of concrete at someone, or yourself, with the force of a bullet.

Here are some safety rules for pressure washing:

Don’t spray at an electrical or water outlet. Cover or secure all these outlets before you spray.

Never spray at another person, even jokingly. It can hurt or potentially kill them.

Use personal protective equipment like goggles, glasses, or a full face shield.

Sometimes close range is your best option, but start out about two meters away from the surface until you can gauge how the spray reacts.

Start at the lowest setting and test it on something hard like concrete before you spray windows or softer surfaces.

Start from the top and wash down so dirty water isn’t running over what you’ve already cleaned.

Spray with a cleaning solution first and let it soak for 5-10 minutes, and then rinse. Don’t let the solution dry on the surface. You can spray it with a normal hose to keep it moist while it soaks.

When you’re renting a unit, have the employee demonstrate it instead of just explaining how to use it.

Use the right nozzle. 0-degree nozzles spray the hardest, while 40-degree nozzles spray widely.

With all of this considered, it’s clear that there are a lot of things to keep track of when pressure washing by yourself. That’s why there are trained professionals! Safety is always our utmost concern and it’s a guarantee that you- and your surfaces- won’t get hurt.

Think about the time of year

Most washing in Long Island is done either in the spring or fall. The problem with pressure washing in the winter is that the water will get in cracks and then expand when they freeze, damaging your home or surface. And the summer is too hot!

You also need to make sure the weather is dry for a few days after you power wash.

Final thoughts

Now you might want to Google “Power washing near me”! It’s clearly best to call professional power washers because of the intricacies of techniques, safety, cleaning supplies, and more.

But if you’re going to DIY, now you know when to power wash vs pressure wash. Stay safe and follow these guidelines, and you should be all set!