Pressure washing is a fantastic way to keep your siding looking new, but it isn't right for every home
Pressure washing siding removes stubborn grime with up to 3,000 psi power, but you need the right settings to avoid damaging your home's exterior.
Professional pressure washing costs $150 to $2,500 depending on your home's size, helping you avoid costly mistakes from improper equipment use or technique.
You should repair any cracks or damage to your siding before pressure washing to prevent water from penetrating behind the surface and causing interior problems.
Hiring a local power washing professional provides peace of mind with custom soap solutions and low-pressure techniques that clean thoroughly without risking paint damage or water buildup.
If grime is tainting your home’s once-shining exterior, it’s tempting to give it a thorough go-round with a pressure washer. While great for brick and concrete hardscaping, pressure washing isn’t always advised for your home’s siding. Whether you hire out or DIY, find out if pressure washing is right for your home.
A pressure washer has many uses, from washing your vehicles to even your patio furniture. These tools can reach upwards of 3,000 psi, which is capable of blasting through even the most stuck-on grime.
However, with great pressure washing comes great responsibility. A heavy-handed pressure washer won’t stop after the gunk and residue are gone. Without the proper precautions, it could cause more harm than good.
Pressure washing costs $300 on average for hardscaping around the home, which includes elements like brick patios and stone walls. Pressure washing your house costs anywhere from $150 to $2,500, depending on its size.
If you’re interested in DIY-ing the job, you can rent a pressure washer for between $35 and $175 per day. While this costs less, it leaves you vulnerable to expensive mistakes.
To clean a home’s exterior, a local pressure-washing pro will apply a custom soap solution that also acts as an algaecide and fungicide. Some use devices that can spray upwards of 30 feet, while others use a ladder to wash hard-to-reach surfaces. They will also typically include a scrub prior to the final rinse, which uses low-pressure water to clean without causing damage.
Most pros would agree that pressure washing is an art—not a “one size fits all” solution. You have to know about different types of siding, as well as oxidation and how it reacts to pressure, in order to pull off pressure washing correctly.
Many homeowners have concerns with how much water pressure washers consume, but it’s not as hefty as you’d expect. The average water use is around 8 gallons per minute. Most garden hoses, by comparison, use between 9 and 17 gallons per minute.
If you’re hiring out, some pros will bring their own water truck. It’s not common, but you can certainly include it in your criteria when you’re looking for pressure washing pros.
Your home’s siding is hard, but it’s not rock-solid. While a pressure washer can help get rid of months (or years) worth of grime, it can easily cause damage with the wrong settings. A professional pressure-washing contractor can help you avoid these risks.
Using too-high settings while pressure washing could cause water to penetrate beneath your vinyl siding, brick, or even concrete. This might lead to water building up in your attic, floors, or within your home’s walls.
There are only certain parts of your home that you can pressure wash safely. Going overboard with a pressure washer can lead to slip-ups, such as accidentally spraying screens, windows, planters, garden gnomes, and more. One rogue blast could lead to hundreds in repair expenses, or a tearful goodbye to your favorite lawn ornament.
If a pressure washer penetrates into your home’s interior, you could be looking at a whole new crop of mold and mildew. The same goes for the crevices between layers of vinyl siding. Extreme care is necessary to prevent the water from going places where it shouldn’t.
If you’re not planning to repaint your home, use pressure washers with extreme caution. While pressure washing is fantastic for prepping before a new paint job, the same paint-lifting functions apply for a simple deep clean. This means you could cause paint to crack or flake off, leading to more work than you bargained for.
For those with older homes that might contain lead-based paint, pressure washing can be dangerous for your family—or even neighboring families. Wanting this paint gone is understandable, but high-pressure pressure washing isn’t a safe solution.
If a pressure washer takes off lead-based paint, chips, and other hazardous residue can disperse throughout your property. The same goes for other surrounding properties as well. It’s extremely important to use low-pressure or alternative cleaning methods if this is the case.
If you’re only concerned with brick and concrete hardscaping around your home, this is generally a safe DIY. Your home’s vinyl siding, on the other hand, isn’t nearly as durable. It’s possible to pressure wash it, but it’s best to leave this to an experienced pro.
Learning to pressure wash your home safely requires time, patience, and skill. Even if you research the right tips for pressure-washing your house, there’s lots of room for error.
While it’s obviously more affordable to rent a pressure washer yourself, it's not worth causing damage to save a buck. Hiring a licensed, professional pressure washing contractor ensures a thorough clean without all the risks.
I would recommend this company to anyone! He showed up on time, was friendly, completed a very difficult repair on our dryer vent cover, was responsive, and pricing was extremely fair and competitive. I would have him back to do any of our repairs or cleanings without hesitation!
U.S.A. Dryer Vent, LLCBest cleaning I've had at my property
The technician was very professional and friendly. He answered all my questions and was very thorough. He left the fireplace area very clean . He inspected from the roof and advised me as to other work that might need to be done. There was no pressure there. I was very satisfied with the...
Supreme brick & chimneyMary Cleaning Service is fantastic! The entire team is professional and pay a great deal of attention to detail. They do such a thorough job of cleaning my house. I would definitely recommend!
The workmanship is perfect, I did not have any complaint with that. It was the brick I chose not matching the brick that want I to use. There was a problem with discoloration of the brick. I thought that the rain was gonna wash it off but it didn't. I call them. All communication was coming...
Bone Dry Roofing & Masonry - CincinnatiI purchased the "Big Deal": $199.00 for exterior pressure-washing of one- or two-story home up to 2,000 square feet. They cleaned the siding only. I wasn't aware when I bought the Big Deal that they would not do any other surfaces other than the siding (i.e. sides of the gutters or stucco). I...
Complete Home ServicesFrom the initial sales presentation to the installers final clean up, this project was a total pleasure. Gary Coper, sales consultant, showed up exactly on time and provided an informative, no pressure description, of every material and step required to complete the remodel. We were always in...
Simple Bath & Simple KitchenThey were prompt, careful and thorough. I have also had them wash interior floor to ceiling windows which were perfect.
Technicare Carpet CleaningThe work went great! Couldn't ask for better. Joel set a work start date. About the time of the storms that may have been associated with Sandy. He was half a day late. They set up on a Thursday. On Friday they had a full crew at work. By Monday they were finishing up. Now, the best...
NJW ConstructionNo hassle, no pressure, no mess left in my basement. ...and now I have a better understanding of our furnace.
KNOW HeatingFrom average costs to expert advice, get all the answers you need to get your job done.
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