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10 Things You Should Never Pressure Wash

Pressure washing is an extremely useful way to maintain your home. However, it is a tool that must be used correctly, or you’ll actually end up causing damage which will cost you money. Here are a few items that should never be pressure washed.

  • Under Your Car’s Hood

The pressure from the water could easily disconnect wires under your hood or force water into places it shouldn’t be. The force of the water may actually clean areas that you don’t want to clean; removing lubricants that are needed for the car to function properly.

  • Car Exteriors

A pressure washer is strong enough to chip paint and dull your car’s finish. Some may even be strong enough to put tiny dents in your car. In this case, using a pressure washer can be overkill for your car’s exterior. A water hose or car wash is the best choice.

  • Asphalt Roofs

Asphalt roofs cannot withstand the strong jet of a pressure washer. The granules are easily knocked off, leaving your roof compromised and susceptible to damage.

  • Electrical Meters and Panels

It’s best to be on the safe side and not blast electrical panels or other components with water, even if they are on the outside of your home. The force of rain is much less than that of a pressure washer.

  • Stained Wood

If you are preparing to re-stain wood, then a pressure washer is great. However, if you want the item to remain stained, you should avoid using a power washer or let a professional pressure washer handle the job.

  • Aluminum Siding

Aluminum is a very lightweight metal and dents extremely easily. Pressure washing aluminum siding can lead to unsightly dents in your home’s exterior. Some professionals may be able to handle an aluminum siding project, but it can be a tricky task for a DIYer to undertake.

  • Lead Paint

If your home was built before 1978, there’s a possibility its paint may contain lead which is an environmental hazard. You don’t want lead filled dust flying into the air, and you definitely don’t want it to leech into your soil where it can contaminant water sources. You’ll need to get your exterior paint tested by a professional to find out if it contains lead or not.

  • Crumbling Brick or Mortar

In most cases, brick and mortar can be pressure washed just fine. However, if it is in bad condition with sections easily crumbling and falling off, pressure washing will just weaken its structure further.

  • Shingle Siding

Shingle siding is much too delicate for pressure washing. The flow of water can rip shingles right from the surface.

  • Any Living Thing

Pressure washers can provide 30-80 times the intensity of pressure you would get from your standard garden hose.

There are many things to consider when deciding whether to pressure wash a surface such as what intensity of pressure to use and even which type of spray nozzle attachment is best. Let the professionals at Oceantime Pressure Washing LLC take care of your heavy duty cleaning jobs without causing damage. Visit us online to find out more.

What You Should and Shouldn’t Pressure Wash

Pressure washing is an effective tool, but using it on the wrong things can lead to irreversible damage. Yes, your goal is to save time and effort, but without proper knowledge about what you should and shouldn’t pressure wash, you might have to add on to that time and effort, along with costs. That’s why we’re going to give you the details on what passes as safe to pressure wash and what to avoid in our blog.

Deck

Do clean the deck. Many decks are made from South American hardwoods, which can hold their own against a blast of hot water. We recommend holding the nozzle at a fair distance from the wood because, while they may be pressure-treated, the blast can still cause etchings or markings.

Roof

Don’t pressure wash the roof. The blowback could throw you off balance if you’re perched on a ladder; you could hurt yourself. This is a job for professionals. It’s also important to note that roof or asphalt shingles will be stripped away. An alternative to cleaning would be to spray down the roof with a cleaner which kills mold and moss.

Gutters

Do clean your gutters. Now you might be wondering, why are gutters okay but not the roof? With pressure washers, you can attach a hook-like tube to the nozzle and raise it over the gutters as you’re standing on the ground (imagine a cane). This is safer and still gets to the deepest parts of the gutters.

Driveway

Do pressure wash your driveway. Because it’s concrete, it can withstand the pressure; the same goes for walkways or sidewalks. We suggest using a finer nozzle for grease stains, but lower pressure for moldy cement.

Car

Don’t clean your car with a pressure washer. While you might’ve seen people use one for their vehicles, the effects from this cleaning method are harmful. Why? The paint could potentially rust. Save yourself the time and effort with a drive-thru car wash!

Conclusion

Picking up a pressure washer is easy, but it’s always better to handle a task with a bit of knowledge. We highly encourage you to contact a professional pressure washing company that will get the job done and produce satisfying results. Don’t give yourself more work than you need to – practice smart cleaning habits!