4 Tips For Pressure Washing Your House

The weather can gradually cover the exterior of your home with a visible film of dirt, dust, mildew, and filth. Over time, these things can begin sticking to the sides of your house while becoming lodged into the crevices. Plus, the paint can begin to deteriorate, making the problem worse. You can remove the dirt and grime by pressure washing your house. Whether the goal is to give it a clean appearance or to prepare your home for another coat of paint, the following 4 tips should prove to be helpful. Tip #1: Keep It Moving When you’re spraying the exterior of your house, you need to keep the water moving. Don’t fix the spray in one area, even if you’re trying to remove a stubborn buildup of grease or grime. Doing so can damage the paint and the siding. If there are areas that are resistant to the pressurized water, consider using a cleaning solution. Tip #2: Watch The Nozzle Setting The nozzle that comes with your pressure washer will have several settings that range from 0 degrees to 45 degrees. There are very few reasons to use the 0-degree setting, and you definitely should not use it in your house. Most of the time, you should keep the setting at 45 degrees. Tip #3: Manage The Pressure How much pressure do you need to do a thorough cleaning job? Usually, 1600 PSI will more than enough. A pressure washer such as the K 5.93 M provides 1850 PSI and is a favorite with many homeowners. The Sistema GT11 offers 1400 PSI which may provide too little power for the toughest jobs, but should otherwise be enough for periodic cleaning. Tip #4: Avoid Certain Materials Even though pressure washing your house can be a great way to get rid of accumulated grime, you should avoid using it on hardboard siding and stucco. The moisture can cause the hardboard to begin deteriorating while the pressure can damage the stucco. Also, don’t point the spray at windows or their surrounding frames. Develop the habit of you pressure washing house whenever grease and dust begin to accumulate. Depending on where you live, your house may accumulate dirt more quickly than others (for example, within a new housing development).