Introduction
Pressure washing is a powerful cleaning tool to help maintain the beauty and lifespan of your home. Whether you’re removing caked-on dirt from your patio or deep-cleaning your roof, pressure washing machines are a quick and effective way to get rid of debris quickly.
Before starting any new project, it’s important to know how pressure washing works and the best methods for maintenance. Especially if you are pressure washing in Nashville, where the climate affects the growth. There are a lot of parts to pressure washing that you will need to know before starting on a pressure washing project at your home. This guide will teach you everything you need to know about cleaning your property and how to maintain it with pressure washing.
What is Pressure Washing?
Pressure washing is the act of using a pressure washer to clean a variety of surfaces. It is a cleaning method that uses high-pressure water to remove dirt, mold, stains, and other contaminants from your driveway, deck, patio, siding and more.
For most homeowners , it is common to have driveways or patios that are covered in dirt or mildew. This is caused by seasonal weathering. Over time, your home will accumulate different organic growth. The organic growth comes from a few factors including rain, moisture and lack of sunlight.
Here are the things you can pressure wash:
House – You can absolutely pressure wash your house. The method in which you chose to wash your house depends on whether you are a brick house, or if your house has vinyl siding or hardy board siding.
Patio – You can clean your patio with a pressure washer. The patio surfaces you can clean with a pressure washer include: concrete paver, brick, wood, stone or travertine.
Concrete: You can clean a bunch of concrete with a pressure washer. You can hire a company specializing in pressure washing in Nashville to clean your basic concrete or if you have exposed aggregate concrete. What is exposed aggregate concrete?
Exposed aggregate concrete is a form of concrete which has a top layer that is removed to further expose the added aggregate. Basically, when you see a concrete driveway with little pebbles this is aggregate. Aggregate is made up of 4 key components: cement, fine aggregate (sand), water and coarse aggregate (rock or gravel).
Parking Lots: You can clean a parking lot properly with the use of power washing (hot water) paired with a heavy degreaser. Parking lots are important to keep clean to help with curb appeal. Businesses keep their parkin
Roofs: The best way to wash your roof is through soft washing. It is important to wash your roof with the minimum amount of pressure. This allows for your roof to be cleaned through the chemicals, without being damaged from the pressure washing. Pressure washing can damage your roof so you will want to make sure that you are using a safe and effective method of washing your roof such as soft washing.
Fence: Washing your fence is a delicate task. Your fence is wood and takes care to get it washed. You’ll want to make sure you are using the appropriate method for fence washing so you do not damage anything on the wood on your fence.
If you use the wrong tip on your fence washing, you can potentially damage your fence. You can accidentally put holes an dents in your fence with your pressure washer. It’s best to hire a professional pressure washer such as Wash Nash TN, if you do not know how to properly do the pressure washing in Nashville for your fence.
Pressure Washing Versus Soft Washing
Some people find power washing and soft washing confusing. If you are one of those people, don’t worry, I’ll explain the difference between these two cleaning methods.
Pressure washing uses high pressure water jets to clean surfaces. Soft washing mixes chemicals with low-pressure water to clean surfaces like roofs and siding. Both methods are efficient in removing dirt, mold, algae, mildew, and debris. However, their applications differ because of their differences in pressure levels.
A major difference between pressure washing and soft washing is the pressure. Soft washing uses very low pressure to clean and remove dirt from surfaces like roofs and home exteriors.
Pressure washing, on the other hand, uses a more aggressive cleaning method with high-pressure sprayers for cleaning concrete, exposed aggregate concrete (heavier than sand), driveways, sidewalks, stone patios, brick patios and pavers in addition to travertine tile. Pressure washing is a great way to clean hard surfaces, like your pool deck or patio. However, it’s not the right solution for every surface.
Soft washing is a gentler cleaning method that uses low water pressure and chemicals. Whether you’re cleaning a house, stucco, brick or concrete, this method can be used to remove mildew and dirt from your home’s exterior without causing damage to the surface.
Soft washing is perfect for your roof to remove dark stains without damaging those protective coatings. When you use soft washing, you let water and special chemicals do the work instead of high pressure. This gentle method works very well on any surface—not just roofs!
Pressure Washing Versus Power Washing
If you have a stained or dirty surface, power washing is the best choice. Power washing is hot. While both use the same PSI (pounds per square inch) one is hot and one is not. It is mostly used to remove heavy stains such as oil stains or gum.
Power washing is not recommended for use on any type of masonry surfaces because it may damage them. Pressure washing only uses cold water and works well for removing mold, mildew and algae from surfaces such as decks, fences and patio slabs. Power washing is best for stubborn stains that just will not give under normal pressure washing circumstances. It’s best to use the hot water for those stubborn stains.
When Pressure Washing in Nashville what kind of Organic Growth will I be removing?
You can bet your bottom dollar that even the most diligent homeowner will have trouble keeping up with the growth of organic material on their home. Whether it’s mold, mildew or algae that has taken up residence in your home’s exterior, it’s important to remove them before they begin to affect the health of your home and its value! Here is a definition of each type of organic growth.
Algae: You’ve probably encountered that green, splotchy stuff on the sides of buildings and on outdoor furniture. Maybe you ignore it, or maybe you’ve spent time scrubbing it out. Either way, welcome to the fascinating world of algae!
Algae is a natural part of the environment, and it’s everywhere. It grows in warm, sunny conditions and in cool, shady conditions. Algae will grow in still water or moving water.
There are several methods you can use to get rid of algae from your home.
- Pressure washing: This method is effective, but it’s also expensive and may damage your siding and windows if not done properly. You can hire a professional for this job or buy a pressure-washing machine and do it yourself.
- Chemical treatments: There are various kinds of chemicals that kill algae, but they should be used with care because they could harm the environment as well as people. Before using any chemical product on your property, make sure it’s safe for both humans and animals.
Moss:
Moss is a type of plant that grows on the sides of houses and other buildings. It may look like tiny green dots or thin leaves, but if you look closely, you will see that it’s actually made up of thousands of tiny plants growing together in a colony. Moss can be hard to remove because you can’t just spray it or pick it off with your hands; if you do this, the moss will grow back bigger than ever!
Instead, use a soft brush or cloth to gently remove all traces of moss so that there aren’t any leftovers behind (which might attract more moss). You might also want to consider adding a layer of mulch around your foundation where the soil drains well so that water doesn’t collect there — instead it drains away naturally!
Mildew:
Mildew is a fungus that grows on organic material, such as plants and leaves. It’s usually found on the south side of buildings because it likes to absorb heat from the sun. Mildew appears as white or gray spots, sometimes with darker splotches inside them.
It can be removed with pressure washing. You do want to be careful about how much chemicals you use when you are trying to get rid of mildew. If you use too high of a concentration, you could potentially remove varnish, stain or paint from the surface of the property or home you are working on.
Lichen:
Lichen is a type of fungus that grows on the surface of rocks, trees and other organic matter. It’s often green or grey-green in color, with a powdery look to it. To get rid of these unwanted guests you should consider hiring a a company that specializes in pressure washing in Nashville specifically.
Lichen and other organic growth happens frequently in Nashville due to the weather, moisture and climate. Also, some trees shade parts of homes so due to the lack of sunlight, organic matter grows very fast in Nashville. We use high-pressure water streams to blast off any unwanted elements from your house.
This process uses extremely intense levels of water pressure coupled with an electric motor for maximum cleaning power. The goal here is not only removing these stubborn stains but also preventing them from occurring again in the future by using stain blockers or sealers during our cleaning process!
Organic Growth and it’s Damaging Effects on Properties
Organic growth can be a problem for your home if you don’t know how to manage it. Organic growth is one of the most common reasons why people decide to do pressure washing in Nashville. You may see it as small spots, or patches on your driveway or sidewalk, or even larger areas of your building.
This organic growth can be leave stains caused by algal growth (those are the green spots), mold and mildew. Organic growth can also be from dead leaves that have fallen off trees over time and accumulated on the surface of concrete surfaces like driveways and sidewalks.
Organic growth will damage the exterior of your home if you don’t act to remove it. It can stain your home and it can cause permanent etching and damage on the surfaces of some types of siding. Over time, organic growth can cause major damage to your home. It is important to get it addressed and taken care of immediately.
To prevent organic growth there are three simple steps: keep water off surfaces by sweeping debris off regularly; use a pressure washer with low pressure settings so you don’t damage anything else in addition to removing excess dirt without damaging any finishes underneath; seal cracks with paintable caulk or mortar sealant.
Chemicals to use When Pressure Washing
When pressure washing it is important to use a safe yet effective chemical ratio that gets the job done without damaging anything on your property. Professional pressure washers use a variety of chemicals. Here at Wash Nash TN, we use:
Sodium Hypochlorite:
Sodium hypochlorite is a chlorine compound often used as a disinfectant or bleaching agent which many pressure washer use. It’s better known as bleach, and it can combine with water to produce chlorine in an aqueous solution. Chlorine is a greenish-yellow gas that has a characteristic pungent odor. The name “hypochlorite” comes from two Greek words “hypo,” meaning under, and “chloros,” meaning greenish-yellow.
Sodium hypochlorite is one of the most widely used disinfectants in the United States. It was first produced commercially by French chemist Antoine Jérôme Balard in 1789 by passing chlorine gas through hot alkaline sodium hydroxide solution.
The resulting liquid contains a large excess of sodium hydroxide, which acts to stabilize the chlorination solution against disproportionation into hydrogen chloride and oxygen gases when exposed to air at room temperature or higher temperatures under pressure. Because it works well in hard water (water containing magnesium and calcium ions), it has displaced calcium and magnesium hypochlorite’s previously used as disinfectants.
Surfactant: A surfactant is a molecule that can lower the surface tension of a liquid. Surfactants are made up of both polar and non-polar parts, which allows them to dissolve into both water and oil. This allows them to separate dirt, grime and other particles that would otherwise stick together in one place.
Surfactants are found in many household cleaning products such as dishwashing liquid or laundry detergent because they help clean your dishes by breaking down oils from food residue off your plates or clothes so they can be rinsed away more easily.
Although you surfactant counts as Dawn Soap, it is not actually bleach stable. When you go with a product that is not bleach stable, it can cause a chemical reaction that can cause toxic fumes. With that in mind we do recommend certain household products. Be sure to read the warning label to find out whether or not it is bleach stable.
Chemical to remove Oxidation: This chemical removes oxidation. Oxidation is damage caused by UV rays from the sun.
Dirt and other organic buildups that sit on your surface too long can start to eat away at the pain. This makes oxidation speed up. You need a chemical to counteract this oxidation and remove it.
Heavy Duty Degreaser: A degreaser is a chemical that breaks down oil and grease. While it’s not always necessary to use a degreaser, they are extremely useful when cleaning your oil spills and or grease on concrete. It is also helpful in cleaning heavy machinery.
Tips for Pressure Washing Your Home Exterior
Pressure washing your home exterior is an effective way to remove mold, mildew and algae. Pressure washing also removes dirt and grime. In addition to cleaning your home’s surface, pressure washing can remove paint that has been chipped or cracked away by the sun’s UV rays.
It will also eliminate mildew and mold as well as bird droppings from siding, trim pieces and window frames. You’ll want to make sure you are using the correct tip and level of pressure. Also, prewet all vegetation surrounding your home prior to pressure washing it.
Pressure Washing Siding
Pressure washing siding is a great way to clean your siding and make it look newer. Pressure washing can help your siding last longer by removing dirt, grime, and mold from the surface of the wood, which will keep it protected in the future. Soft wash is the best and safest way to pressure wash your siding of your home.
Soft washing will allow you to make your home exterior super clean without the damage of a high pressure wash. Still gets the job done but in the safest way possible. If you are not sure what pressure to use or how to wash the side of your home, it is best to hire a professional to avoid damage on your home. At Wash Nash TN, we always provide a free estimate as well as a free gutter exterior cleaning with every single service we offer.
Pressure Washing Brick
There are many benefits to pressure washing brick. First, it’s a great way to update the look of your home and make it look as good as new. If you have brick that has been stained from mold or mildew, pressure washing can help remove these stains without doing any damage to the brick itself.
You can also use a pressure washer to clean off grime and dirt, which will make your wall appear brighter and newer for years to come. Be careful about how close you are to the mortar. If you get to close to the mortar, you could dislodge mortar from the bricks which is severely damaging to the brick and mortar.
Cleaning your brick allows benefits. If you want to sell your house at some point in the future, having clean bricks can be an asset when trying to sell because buyers will see them as attractive features of the home rather than an eyesore that needs replacing immediately! The best way for homeowners who want their homes looking brand new is professional cleaning services like ours here at Wash Nash TN. We offer affordable plans throughout all areas including Nashville, Murphysboro, Mount Juliet, Clarksville, Hendersonville, Gallatin, Franklin and Spring Hill.
Pressure Washing for Fences
Pressure washing your fence is a simple task, but it’s also important to know what pressure to use with your fence so that you don’t damage it.
- Pressure washers with less than 2,000 PSI should be used to wash wood fences. Also, if you have a higher PSI you can use a 40 degree (white tip) or throttle down your machine to lower the PSI (Pressure per Square Inch). The high-pressure water can strip the wood of its natural oils and cause cracks in the wood.
- It could also fray the wood surface, creating a unattractive fuzz, which will need to be sanded off. Oxalic acid is used as a post treatment to restore the PH of the wood for longevity.
- For metal or vinyl fences, use a pressure washer with at least 3,000 PSI so that you can clean all of the dirt out from between the slats. The higher the PSI on a pressure washer, the more dirt it can remove from surfaces like metal and vinyl fences. With metal fences you do not want to use bleach or sodium hypochlorite. The reason for this is that bleach is super corrosive to metal surfaces.
Pressure Washing Roofs
The roof is the most difficult part of your home to pressure wash, but it can be done. Pressure washing the roof is not the best solution to cleaning your roof. In fact, you will actually want to soft wash it.
Pressure washing your roof can result in a granule-loss. Having a granule-loss can result in a potential void in your roof warranty.
A granule-loss is the loss of texture on a shingle which in turn reduces the integrity of the shingle. This can result in potential leaks in the interior of your home.
An example is a attic or any living space. If you soft wash your roof you will reduce the potential for granule-loss. It is important that you hire a professional if you are concerned about granule-lose on your roof. At Wash Nash TN, we offer free same day estimates.
Tips for Pressure Washing Decks and Patios
Pressure washing decks and patios is a great way to clean up your home. Not only does it make your deck look new again, but it also gets rid of mold, mildew, dirt and grime that can build up over time. Without proper maintenance you can cause a slip hazard on your deck or patio. Here are some tips for pressure washing decks and patios:
- Use a brush attachment in addition to your pressure washer. This will help you get in between boards and along the railing as well as on any other detailed areas you need to clean up (like corners).
- Start at the top and go down in sections rather than moving back and forth across the surface of the deck or patio. Make sure you are going with the grain of the wood. This is super important.
- If you don’t go with the grain of the wood, you can create a lot of fuzz. The fuzz will need to be then sanded down. If you want to avoid any of this just make sure you go with the This way you won’t miss any spots while it’s still wet from being rinsed off with water pressure from above.
Tips for Pressure Washing Concrete Driveways
You’ll want to use a turbo nozzle and set your pressure washer on high. A turbo nozzle is the perfect tool for getting rid of oil stains and other tough spots on concrete driveways. The high pressure setting will help blast away stubborn dirt while also minimizing the risk of cracking or damaging your driveway. Finally, a hard brush will ensure that all debris is removed from your concrete surface after pressure washing it so that you don’t have anything left behind at all!
How to pressure wash your home surfaces without damaging them.
You’re ready to tackle the project, but how do you know what tools you need? The first step is to make sure that you have the right equipment for this job.
- A pressure washer of at least 2,500 PSI and a surface cleaner attachment will get your home’s surfaces clean without damaging them.
- Choose a chemical that won’t harm your home’s surfaces. For example, many of today’s pressure washing detergents are biodegradable and safe for use on almost all types of finishes including brickwork and stone cladding.
- Use proper chemical rations when mixing up your cleaning solution—a general rule is one gallon per thousand square feet—to avoid overusing chemicals or underusing them altogether (which could lead to poor results).
What are pressure washing tips and what do they mean?
Tips are also called nozzles. Each pressure washer comes with a variety of tips that regulate the spread of water. This increases or decreases the amount of pressure applied to a surface, which helps you achieve different results depending on what type of cleaning job you’re doing.
A black tip is an applicator that is only used for applying soaps and detergents before pressure washing takes place. The black tip should never be used for any other purpose than applying soap to a surface before washing it with high-pressure water from your power washer!
A 40 degree white tip is used for light pressure washing tasks such as cleaning windows, decks and other hard surfaces like vinyl siding or hardy board siding etcetera; It also works well on softer materials such as wood if used at lower psi settings (high PSI = High Pressure).
A 25 degree green tip is best suited for medium duty jobs like removing moss & lichen off roofs/siding etcetera; It can also clean concrete surfaces but only up until they reach 15 degrees in angle since this tool doesn’t produce enough force at higher angles (30-36 degrees) which would require another type of tool called an “angle” nozzle instead.”
How to pressure wash without killing your vegetation.
One of the most common mistakes that people make when pressure washing is to completely spray away at their vegetation. This can do a lot of damage to your plants and cause them to dry out, which can lead to death.
To avoid this problem, it’s important that you first prewet your vegetation with water so that the soap is more easily absorbed into it rather than just running off onto the ground.
For delicate vegetation that you want to keep healthy and intact (such as flowers), consider using a tarp as well so that when you rinse off after applying the soap/cleaner, there’s nothing left behind but clean dirt without any residual chemicals or debris remaining on top of their roots where they could potentially burn them (or whatever other issues might arise).
Postwetting refers to cleaning up after yourself by rinsing off any leftover remnants from previous applications since they may cause additional damage once they dry out later on down the road if no precautions were taken beforehand!
Favorite places to find the equipment and supplies for pressure washing in Nashville.
If you are choosing to do it yourself, we have a few recommendations on where to shop. It is important that you know what you are buying when you are shopping for pressure washing in Nashville. You want to find the best of the best for suppliers. Here are a few we recommend:
Power Wash Store:
From power washers to burner parts, the Power Wash Store has you covered. They literally have everything you could ask for as far as pressure washing. Plus, each time we had issues with equipment or delivery of equipment, they always helped us get it resolved.
We understand the big box stores might have better offers but if you are deciding to pressure wash on your own or starting a pressure wash company, we highly suggest going through them.
They provide so much support. If you have a question about your equipment, even if you didn’t buy it from them, you can absolutely ask them for help. We asked for help several times and they always helped us. This is a great company, we highly recommend them to anyone wanting to do it yourself pressure wash or starting your own business.
What is the difference between consumer pressure washing equipment and professional equipment?
Consumer pressure washers are, as the name states, a consumer level device. They range in power output from 1,500 to 3,000 PSI, with a flow rate of 1 to 2 gallons per minute. These machines are great for cleaning your driveway or home exterior.
Professional pressure washing companies use commercial pressure washers that range in output from 3,500 PSI and higher. These machines can clean concrete and other surfaces much faster using the same amount of water (1 gallon per minute) when compared to consumer units.
Companies who pressure wash in Nashville, including Wash Nash Tn, have professional level equipment such as surface cleaners, hot water pressure washers and soft wash systems. The benefits of using a surface cleaner are ten fold. A surface cleaner allows you to leave a driveway or flat surface steak free. What is a surface cleaner?
A surface cleaner is superior to using a wand in many ways. Here are just a few of the advantages of using a large area surface cleaner for concrete cleaning.
Speed! Imagine being able to clean a 28″ path in one pass. By using a surface cleaner, most residential driveways can be cleaned 50-75% faster than a wand. Water usage is a big factor with a surface cleaner.
The increase in speed also means less water is used which is better for the environment, and saves on water bills. Holding a wand too close can etch concrete. Concrete is generally not repairable. Using a surface cleaner greatly reduces the risk of operator error, which can easily damage a concrete surface.
Should I Hire a Professional Pressure Washing Company?
Pressure washing is one of the most versatile services you can find for your home or business. Not only does pressure washing keep our homes and businesses looking good, it also adds value to our properties. Pressure washers are far more powerful than garden hoses, which means they can cut through greener, stronger dirt and grime that a garden hose cannot touch. Pressure washing requires skill and training in order to achieve optimal results. A quality pressure washing company will make sure your home or business is clean and looking great by using state-of-the-art equipment and cleaning methods.
Not only does pressure washing keep our homes and businesses looking good, it also adds value to our properties.
Not only does pressure washing keep our homes and businesses looking good, it also adds value to our properties. A clean building is a well-maintained building. The curb appeal of your home or business will be greatly enhanced by hiring a team of experts who can help you maintain your exterior surfaces in pristine condition. You’ll be able to attract potential buyers when you have an appealing exterior that reflects well on the interior of your home or business.
Not only is pressure washing a great way to increase curb appeal, but it’s also important for safety reasons as well: dirt buildup on roofs can cause leaks; moss growth can lead to structural damage; cracks in concrete may cause flooding if water cannot drain properly; and accumulated grime on windows makes it difficult for people inside buildings (such as office workers) from enjoying fresh air without getting dirty looks from their coworkers!
If you need help keeping up with these types of tasks around the house, consider hiring a professional service like Cleaning Services DFW who specialize specifically in pressure washing services so that all these problems are taken care of quickly!
Pressure washers are far more powerful than garden hoses, which means they can cut through greener, stronger dirt and grime that a garden hose cannot touch.
Pressure washers are more powerful than garden hoses, which means they can cut through greener, stronger dirt and grime that a garden hose cannot touch. Pressure washers can be used to clean a variety of surfaces such as cars, patios and walls. They also come with adjustable pressure settings so you can choose the right amount for your project.
If you have any questions about why hiring a pressure washing team is better than doing it yourself or would like to learn more about how we can help you with your project.
Pressure washing requires skill and training in order to achieve optimal results.
When it comes to pressure washing, skill and training are required in order to achieve optimal results. Pressure washing is a complex process that requires teamwork and many different pieces of equipment. It is not something that can be done by one person alone in a few hours.
It takes time, effort and a lot of training for someone to become skilled at pressure washing. The reason why you should hire professional pressure washing companies instead of doing it yourself is because they will be able to get the job done faster with fewer mistakes than you would if you tried doing it yourself. In addition, they have access to all of the tools that are needed for this type of work so there won’t be any surprises when they show up at your house or business!
A quality pressure washing company will make sure your home or business is clean and looking great by using state-of-the-art equipment and cleaning methods.
If you’re looking for a quality pressure washing company, you should make sure that the company uses state-of-the-art equipment and cleaning methods like at Wash Nash TN.
It is important to use proper tools when cleaning homes or businesses because those tools can determine how long it takes to get your house clean and looking great again. If they do not have the right tools, they might spend more time on one section than another because their tools are not good enough to get through certain areas as quickly as others. This will mean that they may also need more water or chemicals than necessary because of this problem with their equipment.
Conclusion
We’re here to help you make the best decision by offering tips and tricks on how pressure washing can improve your home or business. Whether you need help with some stubborn dirt, or just want to find out more about pressure washing in general, give us a call today.