08 Aug DIY or Hire a Professional Pressure Washing Company?

Determine Whether a Pressure Washing Project Should be Done by You or a Professional.

If you are like the majority of homeowners in the Nashville area, you may have noticed that it doesn’t take long for algae, mildew, and airborne pollutants to drastically taint the image of your home. Siding, driveways, and decks are some of the most commonly affected surfaces especially when located in shaded areas. So the question is: Do it yourself (DIY) or hire a professional cleaning contractor? When deciding which route to take for pressure washing your home, try asking yourself these questions:

1: Can the surface handle the pressure?

Wood and vinyl siding requires a much lower pressure than concrete, so make sure you can adjust the pressure on your power washer to avoid damaging these surfaces.  The amount of pressure that contacts the surface can also be adjusted by the distance you hold the wand from the surface, further away equals less pressure.

2: Are there heights involved?

So you started cleaning your home and could easily get the bottom 8 feet or so with your pressure washer wand.  What about the 2nd story?  They make extension poles for pressure washers that extend 25’ in the air; however, these are cumbersome and very dangerous.  The sudden burst of pressure when the trigger is pulled can cause them to shoot off in one direction causing serious property damage or injury.  Ladders are another option; nevertheless, the kickback from a pressure washer wand can be very dangerous while up on a ladder.

Most pressure washing companies can clean up to a 3 story home from the ground, which means no ladders to damage your gutters and flower beds.  The ability to clean the high parts of a home from the ground will also equate to a safer and more efficient end result.

3: How long will it take?

So how long will your pressure washing project take?  It depends on the pressure washer itself.  Most homeowner grade pressure washers are around 2.0 GPM (gallons per minute).  The more GPM, the faster a cleaning task can be completed.  For example, if you are cleaning your driveway with a 2.0 GPM unit and your neighbor is cleaning his with 4.0 GPM unit, the neighbor is going to finish nearly twice as fast.  It all equates to how much water you are putting on the surface in a given time frame.

Let’s say that after some planning and consideration of what needs cleaned, you figured it would take you all weekend to complete your project.  An exterior cleaning company with commercial grade equipment could complete the job in 4-6 hours.  The cost will vary from company to company but cleaning the exterior of your home is one of the best “bang for the buck” options for renewing your homes true beauty.

4: Do you have the right equipment and chemicals?

For concrete, it is best to use hot water to clean with.  Hot water emulsifies pollutants and helps break down oil that has soaked into the pores of the surface.  There are several situations you may run into that will require the use of chemicals in order to remove stains from your property.  Rust stains, heavy algae, motor oil, and black streaks on gutters are just a few of the common stains that are present on most properties.  If you are not experienced with the proper chemicals to remove these stains, you should definitely hire a professional cleaning contractor. They will have the proper chemicals with them to remove the stains.

Do not be scared to tackle pressure washing projects around the house, a little evaluation and planning goes a long way.  Take a look at all of the details of the project and make an educated decision whether or not to hire a professional.  There are many cleaning tasks that can easily be performed by any homeowner.  The ticket to success is knowing which of these tasks can be safely and efficiently completed with your equipment and skill set.  If you are in need of additional guidance with your pressure washing project, or would like a free, no obligation consultation, click here or call us at    615-999-0104.  We are happy to help in any way we can!