When done correctly, pressure washing is an essential part of home maintenance that can help keep your house in top condition and prevent major issues in the future. Pressure washing eliminates mold and mildew, which can be hazardous to both your home and your family's health. As a professional paint contractor with 26 years of experience in exterior and interior painting, I can confidently say that pressure washing is worth it. If you want to extend the life of your paint, you should pressure wash it at least every two years.
Mold is attracted to dirt, dust, pollen, and other air pollutants that can be found in your home's substrate. These contaminants serve as a food source for mold and, once the mold has consumed them, it begins to eat away at the painted surfaces. Throwing water at the interior walls won't do anything. If you know what you're doing or hire a professional, you don't have to worry about this.
Harmful mortar? No, unless the mortar is already in terrible condition and, if it is, you'll have to repoint the brick again. Light pressure is fine in some areas, but if it's a two- or three-story house, light pressure won't be enough to remove dirt and debris. A clean home is generally a well-maintained home. Pressure washing is also great for preparing before a new paint job, as it can help remove dirt and debris that could otherwise interfere with the paint job.
Unless you want to etch your name into the side of your house with water, this is yet another reason why pressure washing is worth it. She has also worked as a commercial pressure washer in a processing plant for 3 years and has been using commercial and residential pressure washers for more than 15 years. It's not common, but you can certainly include it in your criteria when looking for pressure washing professionals. Pressure-washing windows can increase natural light in your home by removing dirt, grime, cobwebs, and wasp or bee nests that block natural light.
Pressure washing is usually the first step in getting a new paint job, so I see that many painters do it and do it badly. Using settings that are too high during pressure washing could cause water to penetrate under vinyl siding, brick, or even concrete. Pressure washing the outside of your home will attract buyers who otherwise wouldn't have been interested. I have been pressure washing my wood siding for almost 50 years and, as a result, have only needed to re-stain it every 8 years to make it look like new.
Some projects work better with high pressure (2000-3000 psi) and others with lower pressure (1250-2000 psi). While ideal for hard brick and concrete floors, pressure washing isn't always recommended for your home's cladding. It's understandable to want this paint to go away, but high-pressure washing isn't a safe solution. If you don't want to worry about causing damage before you put your house up for sale, hire a pressure washing company to get rid of the buildup on your windows.
