everybody Houston pressure wash their residence. however few human beings know that the way it’s usually executed isn't always true for your property.
you may simply be going with the crowd, but in this case, the crowd is inaccurate, and you’re possibly inflicting massive harm that you don't have any idea approximately.
pressure washing is typically the first step in getting a brand new paint process, so I see a number of painters doing it and doing it incorrect.
It’s not just unknowing homeowners doing this, it’s the experts as properly! Painters and pressure washing corporations stroll away from a residence with a clean exterior, however the paintings they did has prompted untold harm inside the partitions of the house and other places.
There are four important motives you must in no way pressure wash your house. four methods that strain washing does more damage than top. at the stop, I’ll talk the right way to manner wash the out of doors of your house, but first the bad way.
motives to not strain Wash
#1 Water within the partitions
To me, that is the worst sort of damage you could do with a excessive stress washer to a house. business pressure washers shoot water at pressures beginning at 1500 psi which isn’t too damaging, however they could move upwards of 3300 psi, in order to blast thru stable wooden, asphalt, or even concrete (I’ve done it) in the event that they’re near sufficient.
if you have a wood body residence with any sort of timber siding (clapboards, shiplap, board and batten, shingles, etc.) there is an first-rate threat that washing your home with a high stress washer will shoot water up under the siding, potentially soaking wall cavities, insulation, wiring, floors, plaster, and so forth. not anything is past the attain of these powerful water weapons.
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once the water is within the wall, it is regularly difficult for it to evaporate. frequently, within the painting process, a residence is strain washed, then caulked and patched and finally painted. essentially, the painter is soaking the interior of the partitions and then sealing the water in with a clean coat of caulk and paint.
i have visible moldy insulation, crumbling plaster, and cupped flooring all from a strain washing machine’s work. not anything in your walls loves to be moist so keep it dry.
#2 lacking Mortar
a lot of humans think that on the grounds that they have a brick house, they're safe to pressure wash. think again! old brick and mortar are softer than the brand new stuff these days and can be effortlessly blasted away with excessive stress water.
I’ve visible brick homes with the mortar almost absolutely blasted away with the aid of pressure washing. And the rate of repointing a brick house is probably 10 instances what the strain washing machine charged you to clean your property.
#3 Gouged timber
when strain washing, loads of painters will get right up near the surface to try to blast loose paint off. They often be triumphant and then that 3000 psi water is blasting proper into bare wooden. It digs holes in the surface and furs the wood grain up destructive the siding.
unless you’re into carving your name into the facet of your private home with water, that is yet some other reason now not to stress wash.
#four Lead Paint
It’s always there lurking under the floor on an old house. we all want it long past, however doing away with paint with high pressure water isn't always the solution.
It causes lead paint chips both small and big to be blasted all around the backyard and get blended into the soil in which the children can ability ingest it.
if you don’t have youngsters, think about the acquaintances or the subsequent folks. Lead paint is everybody’s responsibility. study more approximately lead paint protection here.
whilst you should strain Wash
Don’t think that i'm in opposition to strain washers. they may be a excellent device, I just see them being misused way too regularly. There are instances and tasks where a stress washer is the great tool for the job and that i want to make certain to mention the ones as properly.
a few initiatives paintings great with excessive strain (2000-3000 psi) and others with lower strain (1250-2000 psi)
Decks (Low stress)
Railings (Low strain)
wooden Fences (Medium stress)
Vinyl Fences (Medium pressure
Asphalt (Medium stress)
Concrete Driveways & Sidewalks (high stress)
metal Patio furniture (excessive pressure)
Stone and Pavers (high strain)
So, if pressure washing is dangerous for your property what can you do to get matters clean?
The Low strain option
I’ve found that the usage of a house owner grade stress washer permits me to soundly wash a residence with the pressure low sufficient to be exceedingly secure and that i’ve mentioned my techniques in an in advance put up strain Washing an vintage residence.
ultimately, the most secure way to easy and prep the outside of your old domestic (mainly wooden houses) is to use a regular lawn hose and spray nozzle along side an extension pole with a nylon scrub brush.
It takes longer, sure, however it simply does a better task at cleaning the residence and getting ready for paint in addition to being a hundred times safer for your house.
I’m no longer positive how a lot of you will follow this advice, but i'd be remiss to not tell you the risks. What you decide to do with the records is as much as you!
