There are entire cable networks dedicated to the joy of doing it yourself and whole social networks built around pinning fun home projects. Even the commercials for your local big box home improvement store make it seem like just about anything can be a DIY adventure. The truth is, some tasks are done more effectively, more efficiently, and with far less risk of damage when they’re handled by a professional power washing company. Find out how not working with the pros can lead to trouble and why power washing isn’t always the best do-it-yourself home project.
The Difference Between Power Washing Methods and Why it Matters
When you hear “power wash,” there’s a good chance the image that springs to mind is actually “pressure washing.” While high-pressure cleaning is one type of power washing, it’s far from the only and is frequently the least suited to exterior cleaning tasks.
Pressure washing certainly shouldn’t be handled by a homeowner with limited experience using these machines, no matter how satisfying and easy it looks on YouTube. Pressure washers are more than capable of dealing grave injuries to people using them and to bystanders. They can also do permanent damage to many surfaces, some of which will likely surprise you.
Power washing may not rely on the force of a high-powered water cannon capable of injury, but it requires an expansive knowledge of solvents, cleansers, and stain-busting compounds. Used safely and paired with the stains they’re best suited to address, these cleaning products can gently and effectively remove more dirt than pressure washing. Because it’s an overall gentler method, your landscaping and lawn are safe; so are pets, kids, and wildlife.
What Could Go Wrong? Why Power Washing isn’t an Ideal DIY Project
Who doesn’t want to wield weaponized water in the war against lichen, algae, grease, and grime? No matter how tempting it might be to power away dirt and discoloration, there’s just too much that can go wrong when you attempt it yourself.
Many surfaces simply aren’t suitable for pressure washing. Shingles can be ripped off and gutters demolished by high-pressure spray. Brickwork can be damaged and mortar destroyed, concrete can suffer permanent surface etching, pathways can become a haven for weeds as mortar and joints are disturbed. Inevitable oxidation on vinyl siding can become dark, streaky wand marks the moment a pressure washer is applied. This is all property damage, though; the very real risk of potentially severe injury is a more pressing matter.
Pressing a handy friend or neighbor into service can seem like a safer alternative, but it’s wise to consider the liability implications. A fall from a ladder, damage to a neighboring property, or a pressure washer mishap culminating in an emergency room visit are all high prices to pay for DIY or friendly-labor pressure washing. Soft power washing isn’t as dangerous to life, limb, and property, but success depends wholly on using the right tools for each job. Certain types of stains require treatment with specific cleansers, while microbial growth removal products can vary depending on the type of material being cleaned. This is where a professional power washing company comes into play.
Why You Want a Professional Power Washing Company to Handle Your Power Washing
You don’t want to spend a week researching various exterior cleaning methods, a small fortune on supplies and equipment, or days of downtime after an injury. You definitely don’t want to find yourself liable for any potential damages or injuries sustained by others.
Cleaning your exterior surfaces can be a long, stressful journey that takes up half the warm season and ruins your summer, or it can be a safe, simple, one-and-done phone call to knowledgeable pros. Carolina Power Wash is fully licensed and insured and staffed by expert professionals capable of tackling just about any stained, discolored, or dirty exterior surface.