3 Tips to Power Washing Successfully

It can be hard to think about power washing the exterior of your home when the weather is just starting to warm up. While you’d rather be at the park, or the golf course, or the lake (or anywhere else, really), chances are your house needs a good rinse. Milwaukee is especially not kind to houses during the fall and winter months. Rain and snow can cause a good buildup that you will definitely notice once you start spending your days outside. 

Unfortunately, power washing is not such an easy task. In fact, power washing can cause a lot more damage than good if not done correctly. Our experts at CertaPro Painters^® of Milwaukee, WI have plenty of training and experience with power washing. In order to make your endeavor successful, we’re here to share our power washing tips and tricks. Let’s dive in!

Prepare the Equipment

You’re going to need to do plenty of preparation before you do anything type of washing, even after you decide whether you are going to rent or buy your machine. Side note, we recommend renting. After this, there are three main areas to prepare:

• Type of power washer:

• Not all power washing machines are made equal. You’ll need to choose between an electric or gas power washer. Then, you’ll need to choose what size of engine you’ll need for your project. Power washers are typically categorized in four ways: light duty, medium duty, heavy duty, and extra-heavy duty. 

• Choosing Your Nozzle:

• The colors of your nozzle are not just for aesthetic purposes. In fact, power washer nozzles are universally color-coded to mean specific things. Red, yellow, green, white, and black nozzles all do different jobs. There are also plenty of attachments for each of these nozzles.

• Safety equipment: 

• Power washing is a dangerous project. Wear protective eye and ear coverage to minimize damage to yourself. The intensity of power washing can also cause wrist or back damage. You may want to hand the job off to someone else if you have ailments such as arthritis.

Watch Where and What You Spray

When you power wash, you don’t want to spray down everything. Watch for windows, plants, and other fragile home elements. Be especially sure to cover exterior lights and cable boxes with plastic. After all, water and electricity don’t mix. Watch your angles if you are power washing sliding. Water can slip behind the panels and cause water damage that will be costly and inconvenient later on. 

Consider Hiring the Power Washing Professionals

Evidently, power washing is a rather specialized task if you want it done correctly. It’s a dirty job! It will most likely be cheaper and faster if you hire a team of professionals to take on this task for you. CertaPro Painters^® of Milwaukee, WI is experienced with power washing all types of surfaces, including wood, concrete, asphalt, brick, and aluminum. Review our process, meet those that have worked with us previously, and then call to get your free estimate today!