Pressure washing is an integral part of home maintenance, helping to keep your exterior surfaces looking their best and lasting longer. From driveways and patios to walkways, siding, and gutters, pressurized water is extremely effective at removing caked-on grime, debris, and more. Neglecting to clean these exterior surfaces can lead to costly repairs, so adding pressure washing to your maintenance routine is imperative.
The Importance of Regular Home Maintenance
Residential properties require constant home maintenance to remain in optimal condition. The more effort you put into your home, the more you’ll get out of it.
Homeowners who neglect tasks like cleaning, repairs, and maintenance for various areas of their property end up spending more money to fix issues in the long run. Your exterior investments and interior appliances could need an early replacement due to a lack of maintenance. Some of the most common home maintenance tasks include:
- Interior cleaning
- Exterior cleaning
- HVAC maintenance
- Landscaping
- Repainting
- Gutter cleaning
Consider how pressure washing can make some of these tasks even easier and more effective.
How Pressure Washing Complements Home Maintenance
Pressure washing is the perfect complement for home maintenance because it helps clean several surfaces. It also can make other home maintenance tasks go smoother by starting them off with a clean base. Pressure washing can ensure that your roof and gutters are grime-free and in good shape, providing your home with proper protection from the elements and sending water away from your home’s foundation.
Having clean siding and roofing allows you to look for any signs of damage and shows where repair services are most urgent, saving you money and time by catching issues before they get worse. When cleaning your siding with a combination of water and pressure, you can prepare the surface for a fresh coat of paint. With no dirt and grime in the way, the paint can properly adhere to the siding and last longer.
Finally, if you’re planning on completing landscaping and yard work maintenance tasks, pressure washing is an excellent place to start. Your driveways, sidewalks, and patios will no longer contain moss, grime, dirt, droppings, and other unsightly contaminants. You can address any landscaping concerns, make your home’s yard look even better, and increase your house’s property value and curb appeal.
Benefits of Integrating Pressure Washing Into Your Maintenance Routine
Typically, the recommended frequency for pressure washing your exterior surfaces is once a year, and it’s ideal to start with this maintenance task before any others. Making pressure washing a key part of your maintenance routine is smart and rewarding, offering many benefits, such as:
- Elongating the lifespan of exterior surfaces (Siding, roofing, driveways, patios, walkways, and more)
- Learning if you need repair or replacement services after cleaning
- Strengthening your property’s curb appeal
- Making your home stand out within the neighborhood
- Preventing the damage and early decline of your property
- Improving the safety of your driveway, decks, patios, and walkways
- Preparing and priming surfaces to repaint
Clean surfaces also protect the health of you and your loved ones. People are happier and healthier in a well-maintained and clean environment, as mold, mildew, allergens, bacteria, and dirt can contribute to respiratory problems, asthma, sickness, and more. Therefore, it’s in your best interest and others to perform routine maintenance tasks, especially pressure washing, from time to time.
Practical Tips for Pairing Pressure Washing with Maintenance Tasks
If you’re ready to start completing home maintenance tasks and pressure washing various spots in the home, consider the following beforehand:
Pressure Wash Before Painting
All painting projects require a clean and smooth base, and pressure washing is excellent at removing old and chipped paint. While you shouldn’t clean freshly painted surfaces with a pressure washer, you can use it to prepare any area for repainting. Pressure wash before starting to paint, and you’ll achieve smoother, more attractive results.
Determine How Much Pressure You Need
A gas pressure washer is usually stronger and more powerful than an electric pressure washer. More pressure isn’t always better, and you should start off low and work your way up if you’re uncertain. Take caution when pressure washing surfaces.
Use Eco-Friendly Cleaning Solutions
You should always utilize environmentally friendly solutions to clean your exterior surfaces, as they can get into your landscaping and affect plant life. The last thing you want is to discover your cleaning efforts ended up killing your plants, so learn more about your solution’s main ingredients.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Some exterior surfaces benefit more from soft washing or the use of low pressure. Some exterior materials can’t withstand intense pressure, so using it can potentially cause breakages and damage to your surface’s structural stability. Some items you shouldn’t use a pressure washer to clean are:
- Air conditioning systems
- Cars and vehicles
- Lead paint
- Outdoor lighting
- Old brick and mortar
- Electrical panels or boxes
- Painted exterior surfaces
- Shingle roofs
- Windows
- Wood siding
Some surfaces benefit from high amounts of pressure, while others do better with soft washing, careful application, and a good cleaning solution. It’s a good idea to look into proper cleaning techniques before tackling a maintenance task to avoid destroying your property. Using the right cleaning methods for each item can prevent water damage in your home and give the best possible results.
You should also assess whether any of your surfaces require repair or replacement services before pressure washing. You could end up wasting time and effort by not checking and realizing until after the fact. You can contact a trusted service technician for an inspection or repair services.
Making the Most of Your Home Maintenance Efforts
You’ll experience numerous long-lasting and money-saving benefits when you incorporate pressure washing into your home maintenance routine. Get your surfaces cleaner and prepare them for maintenance with a thorough pressure washing! If you want to achieve the most reliable results, you can reach out to the licensed, insured, and certified pressure washing team at SmartWash, serving Knoxville, TN, and the surrounding areas.
Obtain your free quote by filling out our online form or calling our team at (865) 383-3622. Call SmartWash for all your exterior cleaning needs!
