Pressure washing can be a great way to improve the curb appeal of your home. It can be done on everything from your home's exterior to patios, drive ways, porches, and more. Still, there are some important pressure-washing mistakes that all homeowners need to avoid.

Thinking a Hose Can Do the Same Job

First of all, understand the power of a pressure-washer versus your standard hose. Even if you have a hose with a so-called "power-wash" attachment, it's not going to be anywhere near as strong or effective as an actual pressure washer. Depending on the pressure-washer used, you can easily achieve thousands of PSI of pressure, as opposed to the typical 40-80 PSI of your standard garden hose. In other words, don't expect your garden hose to be a viable substitute for cleaning your patio, drive way, or home exterior.

Pressure Washing a Wooden Deck

Many people make the mistake of trying to pressure wash their wooden decks as a means of removing excess grime and preparing for a new coat of paint or wood stain. However, it's important to realize just how damaging pressure washing your deck can be if you don't know what you're doing or if the wrong pressure setting is used. A PSI that's too high (or a pressure washer nozzle held too close to the wood) can actually cause damage to the wood itself, gouging out the wood, causing expensive damage to your deck. Typically, it's better to clean a deck using a store-bought wood cleaner/brightener and a scrub brush.

Attempting to Do it Yourself

While you can rent a pressure washer from just about any home improvement store, it's generally best to leave this kind of work up to the professionals. After all, with the amount of power behind a pressure washer, you could do a lot of damage to your home and property if you don't know what you're doing. For example, if you're not careful while power washing your home's exterior, you could very well break a window or even damage your siding. By hiring a professional pressure-washing company to complete the task for you, you can rest assured that the job will be done both safely and properly.

These are just a few mistakes worth avoiding when it comes to pressure washing on your property. With the right technique and equipment, pressure washing by Clearview Integrated Window Services can leave your home looking like new!