Cleaning up outside surfaces is a great way to freshen up your home. Power washing, also called pressure washing, can seem like a simple way to accomplish that task. However, pricey damage can be easily done by a power washer if you are inexperienced. Read our precautionary measures before you rent a power washer. You’ll regret it if you crank it up to high pressure and stick that wand 3 inches from the surface of your house.
Question: What would I use the power washer for?
Answer: The first thing to know is what exactly a power washer is good for. A power washer is intended as a cleaning, knock-the-dust-off kind of tool. It is not intended to take the place of sanding, scraping or stripping. Whether you have a stucco or brick home, a thorough power washing can do a nice job of knocking years’ worth of dust off of the wall and out of the nooks and crannies.
Q: What should I know when pressure washing stucco vs. brick exterior?
A: For a brick home, patch cracks and holes in the brick or mortar and let dry before you wash the wall. For a stucco home, fill fine cracks with texturized caulk and let dry first.
For both:
- Cover nearby furniture and plants before spraying. Avoid spraying windows.
- Set the pressure washer to 1,000 psi or less and use a 40-degree fan tip nozzle.
- Hold the wand 15 to 18 inches from the surface. Holding the wand closer is not better.
- Test the pressure on a small area of the house that’s hidden behind a bush or other feature.
- Watch closely as you test. Do you see any flying chunks of plaster or mortar? If so, stop, reset pressure to lower setting and increase the distance between your wand and the wall.
- To avoid streaking, wash the wall from the bottom up, not from the top down.
- In most cases detergent is not necessary. If there is some kind of buildup, like sap from a tree, then detergent may be helpful.
Q: What about pressure washing wood fascias?
A: Wood fascias or other wood surfaces should not be power washed. Use a garden hose with a nozzle and give a quick spray to knock off dust.
NOTE: If you are power washing before painting be sure to allow all surfaces to dry completely before painting.
Q: Can I power wash my sun screens?
A: Yes, you can. Exterior window screens and pull-down exterior shades lose visibility when the screen cloth gets clogged after one of our infamous dust storms. To clean, remove and secure window screens; tie down exterior screens; set the power washer at psi 1,000 or lower; holding the wand about 15 inches away, move the wand up and down and then follow up with a back and forth motion; let screens dry and then wipe them down with a good UV protectant — we like 303 Aerospace Protectant .
NOTE: Always test new products on a small area to make sure you like the results.
Q: How about pavers? Can I power wash those, too?
A: It is a common mistake to assume that a good power washing of pavers couldn’t hurt – it actually could. Nathan Angel, of Oldcastle Superlite, a Rosie on the House Certified Partner says, “we really only like power washing in the hands of professionals on pavers since people could still etch the surface with the wand.” Angel recommends against using soap on the pavers as well. He says, “a good professional power washing with hot water should eliminate the need for soap and chemicals.” For homeowner use, he recommends the Whisper Wand as it works in a circular motion and does not etch the pavers. The Whisper Washer base covers more ground at a time than the wand of a power washer and it minimizes overspray.
Q: I must be able to pressure wash concrete also, right?
A: You sure can. Start with the 1,000 psi setting. It might seem that concrete is strong enough to stand up to a higher pressure setting. It is possible to spray the top layer right off of your concrete leaving the sand and aggregate exposed and vulnerable to disintegration. And, as with other surfaces, the wand of a power washer can leave streaks.
