Summer is the time when people take care of their outside chores. One of these chores happens to be power washing your siding. Some people are afraid to power wash the exterior of their home. Unless their house is made of stucco or bricks, they assume power washing it could cause problems. The truth is that power washing your home can be a cost-effective alternative to replacing siding.
If you’ve never used a power washer, don’t be intimidated. Many people assume it’s hard to use the power washing machine. The truth is, it’s not hard at all. If you have the time and the stamina, power washing can actually be a pleasant way to pass the day.
Here, we’ll discuss whether it’s safe to use a power washer on the siding of your home. We’ll also explain how to use a power washer safely and efficiently. If you have questions about how to treat your siding, feel free to give us a call. The expert technicians at ABC Win have decades of combined experience with power washing and exterior home repairs. We suggest you call a home service company near you for a free estimate.
It Is Perfectly Safe to Use a Power Washer on the Siding on Your Home
Despite what you may think, it is perfectly safe to use a power washer on the exterior of your home. Unless you have an all-glass exterior or have delicate stones implanted in the walls, you should be fine.
Siding is more resilient than people give it credit for. Of course, if someone whacks it with a bat or backs into it with their car, it’s going to crack. It can also become pitted. As long as you use the power washer properly, you should be okay.
One of the reasons people do damage their siding when they’re power washing is that they use it on high pressure. Unless you’re cleaning a stubborn stain on the sidewalk, such as an oil stain, you don’t need to use the machine on high pressure. Low pressure will get the job done and it won’t damage your property.
If you still don’t think you’re ready to wash on your own, give us a call and we can send someone to take care of it.
Make Sure You Know How to Use the Machine Before You Start
If you’ve never used a washer, it can be scary. Some people compare your first spray with a power washer to shooting a gun for the first time. There’s always that fear that you could get knocked off your feet from the pressure going through the nozzle. While this shouldn’t happen, as long as you keep it on low pressure, you’ll be able to handle the machine.
When you first turn the power washer on, keep the pressure low. You don’t want to use high-pressure on your home’s siding anyway. Keep it on low and always start from the top down. If you start from the bottom up, you’ll have dirty water cascading down the areas you have already washed.
You also want to make sure you don’t target your home’s windows, joists, or doors. If the water gets behind these areas, it can cause serious problems, including mold. You also want to avoid any problem areas. If you target or hit a loose tile on the roof or a piece of siding in need of repair, you’ll have a problem.
If this happens, you should call a professional. One of our technicians can come out and see what damage has been done. Our employees have decades of combined experience with home services near you. They have been replacing siding for decades. If they need to do this to your home, they’ll let you know.
You Can Break the Job Up if Need Be
If you’re a novice power washer, you may want to approach your first job in parts. It normally takes several hours to complete a job of this size. It makes sense to break this up over a few days. Just power washing your front or rear deck can take a whole afternoon. The last thing you want to do is try to wash your entire home in one day. You’ll end up in terrible pain and may not be able to use your arms for a few days.
In all seriousness, do not take on too much on your first attempt. Once you have a feel for the sprayer, you’ll find out what positions are most comfortable for you. Even then, you should still break the job up into a few sessions. Even professional agents from home services near you break certain jobs up over a couple of days. And they’ve been doing this kind of work for years.
Contact an Experienced Home Service Company Near You
If you’re one of the people who stand on your porch and watch your neighbors power washing their home, you’re not alone. A lot of homeowners are intimidated by power washers. They’re afraid if they tried to use one on their siding, they would end up being too tired halfway through. Or they are worried that they’ll cause damage to their siding. Rather than try to handle this on your own, contact a reputable home service company near you.
As long as understand that power washing your siding is not a race, you should have no trouble mastering this chore. Slow and steady sometimes wins the race, even when it comes to power washing.
Our technicians can come out and let you know whether you’re better off power washing your siding or replacing your siding. And, if you just can’t bring yourself to wash the exterior of your home on your own, give us a call and we can come out and provide you with a free estimate. If need be, we can always take care of the power washing for you.
