FAQs - everything you you ever wanted to know about pressure washing!
What is pressure washing?
Pressure washing is cleaning that is entirely done with flowing water. The actual pressure can range from 60psi (garden hose pressure) to 3,000psi. There is no hand brushing or scrubbing.
What can be cleaned?
Almost anything…houses, roofs, cement, toys, decks, pool aprons, brick or concrete walls, porches.
Will it cause damage?
Not if done correctly. Sometimes people rent pressure washers and use far too high a pressure and cause problems. A qualified pressure washing company knows that a house requires very low pressure and a cement driveway needs high pressure. There is a vast difference in the amount of pressure used depending on the surface. Stucco, brick, wood, vinyl, cement, etc. Most vegetation is fine, but some more delicate plants we have to cover.
How about pricing?
Rough rule of thumb is ⅕ of the price goes to chemicals. ⅕ to business overhead, and ⅗ goes for labor. So you can see, the price depends on the size and complexity. A home of 1,500 square feet or smaller is usually around $225. 1,500 to 2,500 is around $300 and a 2,500 to 3,500 home is about $375. But those are rough figures. Cement is priced at 15 cents per square foot. Roofs require a visual estimate. We do free estimates and give you an exact figure.
How long does it last?
It depends on the amount of sunshine your property receives. With substantial tree cover, we recommend it every year. We do some customers that have homes with lots of sun that we do every three years. Roofs last about 5-7 years and cement usually stays nice for 3-4 years.
When should I do it?
When you need it. December, January, and February are difficult to schedule because of temperature. Our chemicals don’t work well below 50 degrees. There is no max temperature for cleaning. It is best to schedule a week before you need it, because of unforeseen circumstances. The spring is usually very busy and a month advance notice is advised. We are only booked a week out in late summer and early fall.
