Pressure washing is quick, effective and all-round convenient. But it can be difficult to know whether your house needs to be cleaned. At the same time, a lot of homeowners reject pressure washing altogether as a means to clean home exteriors. With all of the conflicting information regarding the effectiveness and suitability of pressure washing, should you pressure wash your house, or are there other cleaning methods you can consider?
Conflicting Opinions Regarding Pressure Washing
To a lot of homeowners, pressure washing is so normal, they wouldn’t even question it. On the other hand, there are also homeowners who view pressure washing such a taboo, they’d never consider it. People belonging to both schools of thought use seemingly valid arguments to back their opinion on the matter.
In a way, both views are valid. There are instances when pressure washing isn’t a good method to clean a house, but this doesn’t mean pressure washing is never a good choice.
Why Pressure Washing Your Home is Good?
Those who advocate for pressure washing have solid arguments to back their views. Some of the main arguments that support pressure washing as a good cleaning method include:
- Pressure washing is the best way to deep clean a house and other areas around your property.
- Using a pressure cleaner is the quickest way to clean large surfaces effectively
- The efficacy of pressure cleaning means it’s effective at removing moss and algae that would otherwise be left behind.
- Different pressure washing nozzles mean that using a pressure cleaner is effective for a wide variety of applications.
- One of the best ways to remove tough stains, dirt and grime is pressure cleaning
- Because pressure cleaning removes algae and moss, regular cleaning can prolong the lifespan of your roof
- Pressure washing results make your house look as good as new
- The best way to clean a deck, siding or fence before repainting is pressure cleaning
All the above arguments are valid. While many homeowners believe pressure washing to be damaging, leaving dirt and moss growth on your house can be just as bad, if not more.
If your house is always dirty, you’ll likely find that you have to repaint is more often than if it were clean. Another issue with dirt on your house is that is can mask more serious issues, like cracks in your walls or roof shingles.
Moss and algae keep moisture on the surface of your roof or sidings. This moisture can make the structures of your home prone to rotting and other damage. Seeing as pressure washing is the best way to get a pristine clean, there’s no doubt that pressure cleaning your home can have its benefits.
Can Pressure Cleaning Be Harmful?
Although pressure cleaning is effective when cleaning a home, there are some objections. Many homeowners believe that pressure cleaning is harmful. Some arguments against using a pressure cleaner for your home include:
- Powerful pressure washer beams will damage the surface of your sidings and roof shingles
- The high-pressure water will absorb into your home structure, making it more prone to mold and rot
- Pressure washer water beams are so powerful, using a pressure cleaner to clean your house is a dangerous undertaking
- In some cases, pressure washing can damage window seals, causing leaks
Homeowners who don’t like pressure cleaning argue that it’s an overall damaging method to clean a house. They believe that having a house that appears brand new isn’t worth the potential damage pressure washing can cause.
Many homeowners prefer different methods to clean their homes. Although alternative methods take much longer than pressure cleaning, they believe it to be sufficiently effective. Unfortunately, alternative cleaning methods are seldom as effective as pressure cleaning. That said, alternative cleaning methods can still be effective – even if it is to a lesser degree.
On the extreme side, there are homeowners who choose not to clean certain parts of their homes, such as their roofs, at all. Instead, these homeowners argue that roofing isn’t manufactured to withstand any kind of cleaning. Realistically though, roofing is made to withstand rain, hail, snow and harsh winds. To argue that even manual roof cleaning methods are harmful is reasonably far-fetched.
Verdict: Should You Pressure Wash Your House?
Whether or not you should pressure clean your house is a personal choice. No one can force you to choose one cleaning method above another. However, there are some factors you should consider when making your choice:
- Your homeowner’s insurance policy: Some homeowner’s insurance policies will require that you do regular maintenance on your house, often including pressure cleaning your roof as a mandatory maintenance. Neglecting to fulfil such policy requirements means you might not be able to claim for damages.
- Your cleanliness standards: Pressure cleaning will leave your house looking cleaner than other cleaning methods, so if a good appearance is important to you, it’s definitely the better choice.
- The current state of your house: In some cases, your house might not be dirty enough to warrant pressure cleaning.
- Personal preference: There’s no denying that personal preference will play a factor in your decision. It’s up to you to do what you feel most comfortable with.
Homeowners who choose to pressure wash their houses often place high value on curb appeal. Since pressure cleaning is the most effective way to clean a house, it often leaves the paint and finishes looking brand new.
This is a major benefit when trying to sell a house. Buyers prefer homes that are in immaculate condition. Consequently, most buyers are willing to pay more for houses that appear clean and well-kept. Pressure cleaning offers a cheap way to improve the overall appeal of a house when selling.
Pressure Washing Mistakes: Things You Shouldn’t Pressure Clean
In most cases, choosing to pressure clean or not is a matter of preference, but there are cases where you definitely shouldn’t consider pressure cleaning. Pressure cleaning can be harmful or potentially dangerous in the following instances:
- Wood siding: Especially when unpainted, pressure cleaning wood sidings can do more harm than good. An unpainted wood siding isn’t waterproof and will absorb water if you pressure clean it. This water will stay in the wood and can cause rot and mold growth, as well as interfere with electrical wiring. Even if the water dries from the wood panels, it can cause the wood to warp or crack.
- Lead paint: Lead paint is no longer in use, as using it can cause lead poisoning. Because the only remaining lead paint is old, the finish is often cracked and chipping. Using a pressure washer will blast small pieces of paint everywhere, which can poses a health risk.
- Plants: Garden plants can become quite dusty sometimes, but resist the urge to pressure clean them. The intensity of the water from the pressure washer is enough to damage all living things, including the plants in your garden.
- Electrical equipment: This could include anything from your electrical panel, to outside light fixtures or your air-conditioning unit. If something works with electricity, it’s best to steer clear of pressure cleaning it.
It’s good to use sound logic when deciding whether you can pressure wash something. If you have any doubts about a particular surface, avoid pressure cleaning it until further notice.
Benefits of Professional Pressure Cleaning Services
While pressure cleaning is entirely bad, you have to hire a professional for the best results. It might seem tempting to rent a pressure washer and start cleaning yourself, but this isn’t advisable.
As mentioned, there is a risk that pressure cleaning can cause injury, especially when done by an inexperienced person. Another important thing to realize is that renting one pressure washer usually isn’t enough to clean all the different areas of your house.
Different areas of your house will require varying levels of pressure to clean. Some pressure washers have a lower range of pressure options, while other machines are made for heavy duty tasks. You can’t use the same machine for your driveway as you’d use for your roof, for instance. Driveways can be cleaned with a much more powerful machine than roofs.
Hiring professionals is the easiest way to ensure all the right techniques and equipment are used when cleaning your home. This reduces the risk of property damage or personal injury significantly. As an added benefit, hiring professionals means you wouldn’t have to worry about hiring more than one machine and learning to use all the accessories.
Contact Kleanway Pressure Cleaning for a Miami pressure cleaning service you can trust.
