People use “pressure washing” for everything, but there are really two different ways to clean the outside of a house. Using the wrong one can damage your home. Here’s the simple version.
Pressure washing: for hard surfaces
Pressure washing uses high pressure water to blast dirt off. It’s great for tough surfaces like concrete, which is why we use it (with a surface cleaner for an even, stripe free finish) on driveways, sidewalks and patios, pool decks and curbs.
Soft washing: for your house and roof
Soft washing uses low pressure, about like a garden hose, plus a cleaning solution that kills mold, mildew and algae. The solution does the work, not the pressure. That’s what you want on siding, roofs, stucco, painted wood and anything that could get damaged.
What goes wrong with the wrong method
- High pressure can force water behind vinyl siding
- It can strip paint and leave wand marks
- On shingles it knocks off the protective granules
- Rinsing without killing the growth means it comes right back
The bottom line
Concrete gets pressure. Houses and roofs get soft washed. A good company knows the difference and uses both. That’s how we’ve done it since 2007.
Want your place looking like this?
Free estimates from a local, licensed and insured crew in Maryville, Knoxville and all of Blount and Knox County.