3 ways to power wash your house Elgin

That time of year has arrived- spring has sprung, snow has left us, and you are getting outside to start working on yard and home projects. As you look at your house and deck you see you need to clean it up or this is the year to tackle decks staining or house painting. Well then we are here to help with 3 ways to power wash your house Elgin!

Hello everyone I am David with Dfranco Painting and Wallpaper here in Huntly, IL. We help people in Crystal Lake, Algonquin, Lakewood, Elgin, Gilberts, Hampshire, South Elgin, and St. Charles. These are some of the areas we serve. Today we are discussing power washing in relation to preparing the exterior of a house for painting.

What is the purpose of power washing your house?

the quick answer is to clean it. Your house is no different than your car- it gets dirty. Rain attracts dust, darker sides of the house can grow algae or mold. Power washing eliminates those issues.

Some power washing is just to clean the dirt off the house. In the 3 ways to power wash your house, we are reviwing what we do before painting the exterior of your house.

Cold wash power washing

A cold wash is a remarkably simple, fast way to get a house ready for painting. It can by done by almost anyone with a power washer. We are going to arrive, and use the power washer with low pressure to clean away.

• dirt
• griime
• cob webs
• loose paint
• bird droppings

An average house takes 2-3 hours to set up and clean. If the house is taller it may take longer. This process typically does not harm plants or vegetation.

Soft power washing of a house

Roofers actually use a soft wash to clean shingles. We use a soft wash to add water, light pressure and cleaning solutions to clean the exterior of your house. Soft power washing helps us remove:

• algae
• mold
• bacteria
• loose paint
• other organic matter

While we try to be careful, the extra pressure and soaps can affect plants around the house. We should cut back any overgrown trees or shrubs before we do our work to prevent them from rubbing on the house.

A soft power wash can take 3-6 hours depending on the size of the house.

Oxidation Power washing

Now we are into the more aggressive power washing for a house.

Oxidation washing can take more time than other forms of power washing. It also is typical of of aluminum and vinyl siding homes. Aluminum and Vinyl siding can get a white haze on it- we call oxidation. This needs to go away before exterior painting can happen.

You can easily remove it with higher pressure, soap, and pre-soaking. Since we are using higher pressure, you should protect any plants around your house from the high pressure.

The oxidation washes will take 5-8 hours depending on the size of the house.

Top issues with power washing a house

overall power washng is pretty simple but there can be isses that happen. The most common problem is too much water or too high pressure.

Excessive pressure can lead to issues by forcing water into or behind the wood, which slows down the drying process of the surface. If wood is not dry before painting, it can cause problems like flaking or bubbles. Water evaporating can create condensation and bubbles.

How can we help with your exterior house painting?

Have a question about exterior painting or staining? Let us know. We are here to help in the process of this investment!