Knoxville’s heat and humidity will leave your home’s exterior a grimy mess. Fortunately, pressure washing can help rejuvenate your property’s look and feel.
While professionals will handle every aspect of your home’s cleaning, getting your home ready will help enhance the service’s efficiency. In this article, we’ll show you how to prep your home for cleaning, covering everything from safety precautions to surface preparation.
Why Preparation Is Key for Pressure Washing
A lot goes through your mind while scheduling your home’s deep cleaning. Most homeowners usually consider factors like service quality and pressure washing costs in Knoxville. However, not many are aware of the work their home needs beforehand.
The last thing you want is for something to go wrong during your home’s cleaning. Proper preparation goes a long way in helping you avoid that.
Taking the right measures will protect you from ending up with water damage, compromised surfaces, and ruined plants. What’s more, you’ll also be able to achieve the thorough and efficient cleaning you desire.
Should You Remove Window Screens Before Pressure Washing?
Yes, removing window screens before pressure washing is a crucial step. They might be great at keeping dust and bugs out, but exposing your window screens to pressurized water is a recipe for disaster.
Be sure to inspect your screens before removing them. Also, take extra care when doing so to avoid damaging them in the process. You want them ready to go as soon as your Knoxville home is back looking its very best.
Besides removing window screens, remember to seal openings that could let water in. You don’t want to be dealing with water damage down the line, so be sure to secure your doors and windows. Also, inform the technicians of any holes or gaps around your house.
How To Prep a Surface for Pressure Washing
Whether it’s your siding, deck, or concrete driveway, it is essential to prep the surface before pressure washing. The groundwork that goes into this part of the process greatly determines the kind of results you’ll get.
Need help on how to go about it? Here are a few tips to get you started:
- Inspect the surface for cracks, loose paint, or other vulnerabilities
- Address such issues beforehand
- Pre-treat the surface with cleaners or sealant to enhance results
Part of surface prep involves understanding the nature of the surface to determine the pressure level to use. If your siding already has loose paint, subjecting it to highly pressurized water will only strip the paint further.
What Do I Put Away in My House Before Pressure Washing?
Even if the professional team handling your home’s cleaning uses a low-pressure setting, it’s still best to remove any delicate item that could get damaged. As such, you should consider removing any outdoor furniture, potted plants, or decorations that are near the surface you intend to clean.
For the plants or flowers that you cannot move, you can protect them by covering them with a tarp or plastic sheeting. Do the same for any outdoor electrical outlets, lighting fixtures, and any other external electronics.
Remember to move your vehicle from the driveway as well so that the technicians have more room to work.
Protecting Your Knoxville Landscaping During Pressure Washing
Knoxville homeowners value their landscaping. If you’re anything like them, you probably have a tulip poplar, eastern redbud, or flowering dogwood growing on your property.
You wouldn’t want your landscaping to get damaged during your home’s cleaning. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent this.
For instance, trimming overhanging branches beforehand will create more separation between your trees and siding. You could also cover delicate plants and set up ways to prevent water runoff from harming your garden.
Most importantly, communicate your landscaping concerns with your pressure washing service provider before. Doing so will give them a chance to take all necessary precautions.
Securing Pets and Informing Family Members
It might not look like it at first, but pressure washing can be quite dangerous. Yes, technicians are skilled at equipment handling and gauging pressure levels. However, accidents can still happen.
If you have pets, this creates a serious concern. They can easily wander around, investigating what seems new to them. Should they happen to come in contact with the highly pressurized water, they can end up with severe injuries. This is why keeping them inside your home is a must.
It’s also important that you inform your family members of the scheduled cleaning. Not just to keep them safe but also to avoid any inconveniences.
Communicating With Your Pressure Washing Service
Seeing as you’ll entrust the service to a team of trained professionals, it makes sense to consult with them prior. This consultation will provide you with the perfect opportunity to convey your concerns or special instructions before they start.
It helps to point out any sensitive areas around your home, such as freshly painted surfaces or delicate materials that need extra care.
Sometimes, getting your house ready will also entail asking questions about the service provider’s process. Some of the questions you could ask include:
- What time will you arrive?
- Will you have your own water source?
- How long will the entire cleaning take?
- What type of equipment will you be using?
- How long will the surface take to dry?
Ready To Protect and Enhance Your Knoxville Home? Start Your Pressure Washing Preparation Today
Given everything Knoxville will throw at your home’s exterior, getting it pressure washed is a no-brainer. However, achieving the best possible results will take quite a bit of doing. This is where preparation comes in handy.
Securing your windows, covering plants, and moving outdoor furniture might seem tedious. Taking these steps seriously though is vital, not just for your home’s protection, but also for the experience you’ll get. The good news is that, with the right kind of help, getting your home ready won’t be a hassle.
Get in touch with SmartWash at 865-383-3622 to schedule a consultation and enjoy professional pressure washing services in Knoxville. Talk to us today.