It is a good idea to use pressure washer on an old home before applying paint on its surface. However, it is not as simple as people might take it. There is no doubt that it is a great way to clean dirty siding and many painting contractors use it as a way to prep surfaces for new paint. Nevertheless, if not done professionally, pressure washing can cause more harm than good. If not done properly, it can damage to the wood or older soft masonry structure. It may even force water into the structure of your existing house, which may be harmful. Therefore, it is important to be careful while pressure washing your old house.
Mentioned below is a quick guide on how to carefully use pressure washer. This guide will help you prevent any potential damages to your house when using pressure washer.
Don’t Get Too Close:
The number one problem with pressure washing is that people often get too close when using the pressure the washer. In fact, people put the nozzle right against the surface to get rid of those sticky dirt and stains. As a result, this digs out certain portions of the wood and mortar and ultimately, damages a perfectly good siding. The best way to do pressure wash is to keep the washer at least 1 foot away from the surface always.
Use a Lower Strength Washer:
There are many high capacity pressure washers that create a very powerful effect on an old wood house. They may be ideal for cleaning driveways, but they will surely blast right through wood siding, more specifically when there is any wood rot. This is the reason why you need to use a slightly lower strength pressure washer. By this ways, even if you slip up a little, it won’t cause nearly as much damage as the powerful pressure washers do.
Keep the Steam Wide:
Most pressure washers are made with an adjustable nozzle that allows you to make the stream of water go from a wide stream. This is better than a single jet stream of water since the single stream can dig a hole through the wood surface.
Keep Good Aim:
It is also important to keep a good aim while using the pressure washer. If you are not careful about aiming the pressure washer, the highly pressurized water can hit the clapboards and shingles and into the walls. The best way is to aim your pressure washer downward while using it on the siding.