One of the best ways to keep your home or business well-maintained is to pressure wash the surface regularly. This keeps dirt and any other debris off the building so that it always looks great. Pressure washing can be used on everything from wood to brick to vinyl siding, making it a very popular service here at Shine Window Care.
However, one big concern that we often hear from our customers is: Does pressure washing damage vinyl siding? The answer may surprise you.
Pressure Washing and Vinyl Siding
The answer is: YES, pressure washing absolutely can damage vinyl siding if done incorrectly. We have seen countless homes and buildings that have damaged areas because someone without the proper training has tried to pressure wash their building.
Pressure washing involves water being pushed through a small hose and wand after being compressed. This creates a very powerful blast of water that can be used to scrub away any kind of dirt or debris. Think of an automatic car wash, and how forceful the water must be to get rid of dried bird droppings or caked-on mud. That is exactly what a pressure washer is for the side of your home.
Pressure washing is not good to use on any kind of soft surface, like window screens, for example. Vinyl siding is a hard surface, but it’s not as hard as, say, brick. That means that when you use pressure washing on vinyl, you really have to be very careful to not damage the siding.
Dangers of Damaged Vinyl Siding
In addition to having to replace your siding, there are other reasons why pressure washing vinyl siding can be problematic if not done correctly.
It can cause water to build up in your walls or attic. A commercial pressure washer, which is what most people would rent over the weekend to tackle this chore, can blast water up to 3300 psi. That means that water can very easily get through the material of your building beneath the siding – even concrete!
Pressure washing can damage windows, and a trained professional knows how to clean the vinyl siding near windows without damaging them. Our friendly team of experts will very carefully clean around any delicate materials like doors, windows, planters, and other features, to keep your home in one piece.
Pressure washers can even remove paint – in fact, one thing that most people do when they want to repaint their home is start with a good pressure washing. If you were just wanting a good deep cleaning, paint removal probably wasn’t what you expected to see. And if the building is much older, and could be painted with a lead paint, removing it or loosening with a pressure washer could create an unhealthy environment.
What We Do Differently
When we arrive at your location, we can immediately tell if pressure washing is the best solution for your building. If there is any damage, paint, delicate features to wash around, or other elements that make pressure washing dangerous, we may instead suggest a soft washing technique. This will work just as well to remove dirt and other debris, but will keep your home safe.
Our team is trained to use the tools properly so that a perfect outcome is what you get every time. We use smart, safe, healthy, and effective cleaning methods and tools that aren’t available to homeowners or office building managers.
If you aren’t totally satisfied, we won’t rest until your home or office sparkles. For a free estimate, contact us online, or find your Shine Window Care location here.
