Challenges of Power Washing Jacksonville, FL
Do you own a home or business in Jacksonville, FL? If so, you’ll need to make sure that its exterior surfaces are cleaned on a semi-regular basis. However, the process of power washing Jacksonville, FL properties is trickier than you might have originally thought. Because of this, if you’re planning to do your own power washing, you’ll need to be prepared for the difficulties that come ahead. Otherwise, you might be better off scheduling an appointment with a professional exterior cleaning company such as Ehrman’s Pressure Washing.
In this blog, we’ll explore several of the challenges you’ll encounter during DIY power washing. That way, you can brace yourself for the difficulties ahead and obtain the knowledge necessary to conquer them!
Challenge #1: Not Understanding the Process
If you plan to power wash your property’s exterior on your own, you’ll have to understand how the process works. Otherwise, you’ll just find yourself surrounded by a bunch of tools without any idea how to use them correctly. So, what exactly is power washing, and how does it work? Power washing is the process of spraying pressurized water onto exterior surfaces and removing debris from them. This leaves surfaces brighter, more beautiful, and even helps them last longer. (This is because debris can actually harm surfaces over time.)
To do your own power washing, be sure you have a pressure washer, an attaching hose, and safety equipment, which includes gloves, eye protection, closed-toe shoes, and full-length pants. After donning safety equipment, simply set the pressure washer to an appropriate amount of water pressure, and you can spray your surfaces clean.
Challenge #2: Not Giving Yourself Enough Time
We highly recommend against trying to rush your way through power washing Jacksonville, FL properties. This work recommends focus and precision, and these things are quickly lost when you’re trying to meet an arbitrary time limit. Before beginning your power washing project, make sure you have given yourself plenty of leeway in your schedule. A day that’s packed with appointments and responsibilities won’t be a good fit. Choose a day when you’re relatively free so you can give your roof the meticulous attention it deserves.
When deciding when to power wash your property, consider the weather forecast, too! It’s not a good idea to try to do this work when it’s raining out. It will be much more difficult to determine what you’ve already power washed when everything is wet. Besides, you don’t want to be soaked with rain while doing this work. It’s just not a good time for anyone.
Challenge #3: Stubborn Debris
Picture this. You’re power washing your property’s exterior, and everything is going exactly to plan. Dirt, pollen, dead insects, and bird droppings are vanishing the moment your water jets touch them. However, your surface-cleaning winning streak comes to a screeching halt as you discover some sort of stubborn debris. Maybe it’s moss, mold, algae, or even a deep-seated stain. Whatever it is, it’s not going away when you power wash it, and your once-triumphant attitude suddenly disappears.
The good news is that stubborn debris doesn’t have to mark the end of your power washing success. In fact, you can get rid of even the toughest grime by using specialized cleaning solutions. For example, at Ehrman’s Pressure Washing, we use sodium hypochlorite to weaken debris when it puts up a fight. We simply apply the cleaning solution to the surface and wait a few minutes. Then, we power wash the area, and debris disappears in a flash.
Challenge #4: Cleaning Delicate Surfaces
Before barging into a power washing project, you’ll need to consider whether your surfaces can even be power washed! Believe it or not, power washing isn’t always an appropriate choice for the job. For example, the outside walls of homes and businesses are typically too delicate to be safely power washed. The same goes for rooftops, as well as any surfaces made of softwood or vinyl. Does that mean there’s no way to clean them? Not quite. You can actually use the soft washing process when power washing doesn’t fit the bill.
Soft washing is very similar to power washing. The difference lies in the amount of water pressure (PSI) used. Soft washing only uses 150 to 300 PSI, making it safe for even the most delicate surfaces. Now you can ensure the complete cleanliness of your property’s exterior regardless of how much water pressure it can withstand!
Challenge #5: Protecting Yourself
Your safety is important when power washing Jacksonville, FL properties. However, if you’re not careful, you can easily compromise it. That’s because pressurized water, which is the key component of successful power washing, can bruise or slice skin. What this means is that careless power washing comes with a risk of self-injury.
The good news is that you can drastically mitigate this risk in a few common-sense ways. First, always be mindful of what you are pointing your power washing hose at. By only aiming it at the surfaces you intend to clean, you’ll avoid spraying yourself in the process. (That’s just basic trigger discipline!) Additionally, don’t forget your safety equipment. As we mentioned earlier, this includes gloves, eye protection, closed-toe shoes, and full-length pants. These will shield your body from pressurized water in the case of an accident.
Consider Professional Power Washing
If you feel like power washing Jacksonville, FL properties on your own isn’t the right choice, what should you do? For an alternative way of restoring your home or business’s exterior, reach out to Ehrman’s Pressure Washing for professional power washing services. We will proudly do all the work for you so you don’t have to face any of the challenges we listed above. To get started, simply contact us online with information about the surfaces you’d like us to clean. That way, we can plan ahead for your project and provide you with a free cost estimate. Finally, choose a time and date for your appointment, and we’ll be there to serve you soon.