It’s that time of year again when the sun is shining, and the temperatures are warming up, which means it’s time to start thinking about how you’re going to prepare your home for summer. One way to get your home ready for summer is by pressure washing it. But what are some of the most common ways to pressure wash your home? And more importantly, what are the best practices for pressure washing your home? Keep reading to find out!
Let’s talk about House Washing first!
House washing is an essential part of maintaining your home. With dirt, grime, and other contaminants building up on the exterior over time, they can make a place look unsightly and cause materials like siding or windows to wear quicker than expected!
Is your house extremely dirty? Washing your home is a great way to get it clean and dry. The process starts by spraying low-powered water and cleaning solutions onto the exterior of each side, which loosens dirt before it’s rinsed away from the ground level up to the roofline, making sure no corner remains dirty!
In order to begin, you need to consider the condition of your home’s exterior. Consider calling a licensed contractor if there are cracks in the foundation or peeling siding before power washing. Make sure all loose materials are removed from the area before the process begins, which means removing any plants within reach of the sprayer and covering any surfaces that could be damaged by water penetration.
For stains on decks, patios, or other areas that will remain accessible after cleaning, consider renting a machine that uses bleach or other eco-friendly cleaners. When performing a deep clean of this type, ensure that your property is well ventilated during use to prevent exposure to hazardous fumes.
You should use extreme caution when cleaning any surface attached to your home, including windowsills and gutters. When standing on the ground, you might not be able to reach these features with a brush or other tools. If your arms aren’t long enough, consider asking for help.
Clean the decking and patios of your home by removing loose materials. Windows are often covered in dirt and residue that can scratch the glass when scrubbed away. To minimize the risk of damage during this step, you may even wish to invest in window cleaners designed for use with power washers.
To test the water pressure before applying cleaner or soap, spray a small area of your home inconspicuously. You will avoid any surprises (and potential damage) when you start cleaning seriously.
Now that your home is ready for a power wash, it’s time to select the right equipment. A common garden hose does not have the power to clean large outdoor surfaces, so you might want to consider renting a professional-grade machine.
Depending on your level of experience, you might want to consider hiring a professional to handle the power wash. They will have the knowledge and experience to complete the job quickly and safely without causing damage.
Different House Washing Methods
House owners who want their property looking its best can choose from a variety of exterior washing methods. Though we typically use the soft wash option, there are other options for those with specific needs or preferences!
- High-Pressure power washing is a tried and true method for house cleaning. It involves using the most powerful type of washer, which can create high-impact water with great force to remove dirt or other substances from your home’s exterior walls. This can also cause damage, so we don’t use this method.
- Down Stream soap injector power washing. “Down Streaming” refers to the process of injecting soapy or detergent directly into your washer’s output, which can help remove dirt from hard-to-reach places that ordinary cleaning techniques just won’t do!
- Soft washing. The most efficient house washing method involves a soft wash system to lightly and safely apply cleaning solution on siding.
What is Soft Washing?
Soft washing is a low-pressure alternative to pressure washing. The solution consists of sodium hypochlorite and surfactants that are sprayed onto surfaces like vinyl siding, concrete, or stucco for cleaning purposes; it has about 90-100 PSI pump output strength compared with 150+psi needed when using traditional high pressured washing.
The process uses less water because there’s no need for powerful pressure washing that could potentially damage the exterior of your home!
Homeowners have been flocking to soft washing as a method for house-washing exterior siding. More and more people opt instead of power wash, which uses high-pressure water jets that can damage surfaces such as brick or wood trim on homes’ exteriors; this is because it doesn’t get deep enough into nooks & crannies where dirt resides, hiding out among other things!
In recent years we’ve seen an increase in customers choosing “soft” option when getting their property cleaned – these folks understand how important maintaining quality material appearance after cleaning up so much fine dust along with all those pesky bugs they capture inside during winter months (or anytime).
A few years ago, we started using specialized soft washing equipment designed specifically for every type of siding on your property; this allows us to achieve superior results without any damage done by excessive pressure or harsh chemicals – ensuring satisfaction guaranteed 100%. In addition, biodegradable cleaning products were introduced, which means they won’t only clean better than traditional ones but also protect homeowners against harmful toxins released during manufacture (and disposal) as well potential environmental impacts.
The process of soft washing a house can be intimidating, but it is actually quite safe and easy. We’ll go over the basics on how you should do this with care for your home in order to get optimal results!
How to Safely Wash a House using the Soft Wash Method
There are a few key things to consider before you get started:
When working with sodium hypochlorite, remember to wear proper safety equipment. Some of the most important PPE for this job include gloves and protective eyewear that are designed specifically against splashes or fog from water. These items will protect you and help avoid skin irritation caused by exposure too much sunlight when cleaning outside in hot weather conditions.
Cover plants!! The use of sodium hypochlorite can discolor and sometimes damage delicate flowers, so be sure to cover them when you’re working with this solution in order to prevent any potential harm!
Start with a small test area. To avoid further damage, should it occur, start with a small section and assess whether you should continue or not.
When it’s time to start soft washing, remember that plants can get in the way, so first, pre-rinse all vegetation before mixing up some chemicals. Then spray your cleaning surface and rinse after 10 – 15 minutes for best results!
What is Down streaming?
Down streaming is similar to soft washing, except the soap and solution come after the pump, thus the term “downstream.” The downstream injector offers more options because only certain chemicals can be pumped through the pump.
Downstream injectors have pressure coming in and pressure going out. The valve remains open when the pressure is low, such as less than 100 PSI, allowing soap from the soap tank to enter the system.
Injectors only go in one direction. On the injector, there is a little arrow that shows you the direction the flow is going, and underneath it is the number of gallons per minute and the size of the injector. You should match the flow to the arrows. You won’t get soap, and it won’t work if you go the other way.
What are some of the problems we face with downstream injectors? Your water won’t flow back into the tank if the hose gets pinched. The hose will not work with a hole in it, even a tiny one. In the event that one of the plumbing’s in the fittings on the tank leaks, it will not work. Any time it sucks even a little bit of air, it will fail to work.
What are the signs that it is sucking air? To test this, pull the gun trigger and remove the hose. Your finger should be able to feel if it is sucking on your finger if you place it there. If so, there is no issue. It is either gone or stuck if it doesn’t feel like it is sucking on your finger, and it is about to go bad anyway if it’s stuck. When the ball is stuck, you can take a small object like a nail and push the ball down to hear it sucking again while pulling the trigger.
Every company has different techniques and chooses which method they prefer the best for each project. Since all projects are not the same, all methods are used in the industry!
We know you’ve been wondering what to do about that dirty exterior of your home. Pressure washing is a great way to clean it up and maintain the look for years down the road. But there are so many options out there! Which one is right for me? Fortunately, we have an expert on staff with all sorts of knowledge about pressure washers and how they work best. He can answer any questions you may have or help find a solution perfect for your needs. Give us a call today if this sounds like something you need assistance with – our experts would love to hear from you soon!
