Why you should never pressure wash your home

Don’t take this the wrong way. Yes, we’re a professional exterior cleaning service and no, you should not pressure wash your house, at least not on your own.

When your house first develops that green grime cover that is so unappealing (and it will if you let it go long enough), the homeowner’s first thought is to pressure wash the exterior. While this may sound good, most exterior finishes are not strong enough to withstand such high water pressure.

Using a high powered pressure washer, paint can be blasted off, screens can be penetrated and vinyl can be knocked loose. In some cases of highly concentrated water pressure, brick or stone can be damaged. Additionally, if your windows are not properly sealed, water can seep into your home, causing damage to furniture and flooring.

Not only can pressure washing potentially be damaging to your home, the risk of personal injury should be considered. According to the Center for Disease Control, some of the risks associated with using a home pressure washer include:

• The strong spray from a pressure washer can cause serious wounds that might first appear minor. Wounds that appear minor can cause a person to delay treatment, increasing risk for infection, disability or amputation.
• The fast, strong spray can throw objects that strike and injure others who are close by.
• Electric shock can occur if the pressure washer is not used properly and if safety instructions are not followed.
• Using small, gasoline-powered engines can cause carbon monoxide poisoning. Workers should not use any equipment powered by gasoline engines inside buildings or other partially enclosed spaces unless the gasoline engine can be placed outdoors and away from air intakes.

Another common misconception is that bleach must be used to effectively remove dirt and grime from your home’s exterior. While bleach may kill the mold, it will not remove the dirt or other pollutants covering the surface. Additionally, if mishandled, bleach can irritate the skin and eyes and ruin your clothes. Lastly, if bleach is used and your grass and landscaping has not been pre-treated or hosed down with water, tremendous damage will occur to your yard, plants or exterior fixtures.

There are many reasons to clean the exterior of your home: It creates a healthy living environment and adds curb appeal. But it can be dangerous and ineffective if not handled by a professional. If you are a busy homeowner that cares about the exterior of your home and wants worry free professional home services such as window cleaning, gutter cleaning, deck cleaning and sealing, pressure cleaning, siding cleaning and more, then look no further! KEVCO is the only company in the D.C. metropolitan area with professional expertise in residential exterior cleaning services. Contact KEVCO today to learn more about residential cleaning.