Why Use a Professional to Pressure Clean Your Home's Exterior?

27 February 2017
 Categories: , Blog

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Many homeowners have pressure washers that they use to clean their decks, patios, and home's exterior, but before you decide to buy one yourself, you might consider why it can be good to leave this work in the hands of a professional. Even though homeowners can learn how to use a pressure washer properly, there are some common mistakes they often make with such a washer that can actually cause property damage. There are also some other reasons to always call a professional for when the home's exterior needs cleaning; note a few of those reasons here.

Wrong detergent, not rinsing enough

Many homeowners don't realize that there are different detergents to use for different surfaces, including a wood deck versus vinyl siding and glass windows. Using the wrong detergent can mean leaving behind streaks and drying wood and other such materials, which can cause them to crack or chip. A harsh detergent on some surfaces can also damage paint or other colouring, and fade certain areas.

Not rinsing the detergent away properly can also damage a surface; this can mean needing to rinse the material quickly, before the detergent can dry, and then also rinsing an area enough to get rid of all that detergent so there is no residue. A professional will know the right detergent for any surface and will ensure it's properly rinsed away once the cleaning is finished.

Using the wrong pressure

When it comes to the actual pressure needed to wash a surface, you may immediately realize that too much pressure might shatter a window, but note that this can also be dangerous for brick and aluminium siding, and even a wood deck. Too much pressure can chip the grout of brick and dent siding, and cause wood to split or crack. On the other hand, not enough pressure will mean a poor quality clean that doesn't actually remove deep layers of dirt, mould, mildew, and the like.

Inspecting a surface for damage

To use the right detergent and the right pressure, a professional cleaner will usually inspect a surface to note its overall structure and strength, and what type of dirt it's holding. This means they can also inspect an area for damage or something that should be addressed by the homeowners, such as chips in that wood deck or dents and dings in siding that are allowing water to collect and which might cause mould to form. To ensure your home's exterior is in tiptop shape, let a professional manage this cleaning for you.