Best Practices
Pressure Washing Tips For Your Home
There is a wide range of pressure washing machinery and equipment available in the market for the purpose of purchase or rental. The high quality equipment makes it easier to pressure wash the house, driveway and deck. However, you need certain knowledge to use a pressure washer in the right manner. You can avoid a house, a driveway or a deck cleaning disaster by keeping the below mentioned tips in mind.
Pick the right tool
The first step to getting pressure washing correct is by picking the right tool for your use. A lot of people talk about the pounds per square inch and this is a part of the equation but you really need to look at the flow of water in gallons per minute. You need to understand that a 5 gallons per minute in a machine with 3,700 PSI will ensure better cleanliness than a 4 gallons per minute in a machine with 4,000 PSI.
You also need to ensure that the washer dispenses the cleaning product in addition to the water. It is possible to clean the driveway without the use of any chemicals but that process will take longer and might not last long enough. Hence, you can use a little amount of chlorine although the concrete soaks it up and keeps the mold from coming back. You need to pick the pressure washer keeping your budget in mind, however, a good, high quality machine should start at about $500.
Maintain Safety
If you do not know how to operate a pressure washer, it might lead to significant danger. Unless you maintain safety and learn about the right method of operating the system, you could damage the property and cause serious injury to yourself as well. You might need to wear ear and eye protection if this is the first time you are using a pressure washer. Most professionals wear gloves, long sleeved shirts and boots while pressure washing. If you are looking for pressure washing service in Point Clear, you need not go any further. The professional experts will offer the best service at an affordable rate.
If you intend to use the pressure washer yourself, you will have to pay close attention to the direction of the nozzle when you activate the sprayer. Ensure that there is nobody in the nearby area and plan in advance when you move the stream. Be careful around the frames, doors, windows, screen enclosures and overhangs. They are all vulnerable to damage from the stream and could cause huge trouble to you. It is always better to maintain safety and take precautions before you start operating the machinery.
If it is windy, you need to keep in the direction of the wind in mind. It not, the stuff might blow back at you. You will have to consider more than just the pressure stream. Right from the machine to the hose to the gun, everything is under pressure and if a hose pops or the tip is not fully clipped, it will sound like a gunshot when it pops and you need to be very cautious with the system.
Do not overdo it
Depending on the space you need to clean, the pressure setting will have to be adjusted. You need to keep in mind that every job will not require the highest pressure setting. Select a low setting when you want to clean the deck or the house. There are different systems that include varying levels of settings and there are others which use interchangeable nozzles in order to regulate the pressure, hence understanding the specifications is a must. You need to read the manual or look up the interest before you set the pressure. If you are using chemicals to clean up the space, you will have to apply them properly from the ground up and then rinse from the too down so that they do not dry.
Protection of your assets
Your car and plans are vulnerable to the pressure system and the chemical run off, hence you should cover them or rinse them with water after the process so that the chemicals are diluted. You should also rinse them at the beginning of the process because the dry leaves will absorb more chemicals than the wet ones and the plants could get damaged.
Understand the limits of the machine
You need to understand that the pressure washer does not offer an ultimate solution to everything. There will be some stains which will not come out however hard you try to. It does not matter how high you turn the pressure, there will be some stains which will still remain. You will only cause more damage if you try too hard. If there is an unsealed driveway and it has oil spots, you will not be able to get rid of them. Simply forget it and do not increase the pressure unnecessarily. Further, rust, fertilizer as well as acorn stains are difficult to remove from the driveway and there will always remain some kind of mark.
Know your limits
If you know how to use the pressure washer, you can do the basic washing in and around your property but you might have to call the professionals if it gets tough. There are some things you will find trouble with and some things that you might not understand in the machinery, this is where professionals can help you. If you are doing a big job, you might have to hire the professionals who understand the right amount of pressure and the tricks of cleaning the surface in the best possible manner. If you have a job higher than one story or anything that involves the roof, you need to call an expert. If you do not know how to use the pressure washer, you could end up damaging the roof.
A pressure washer is a useful equipment for your home but it helps to understand its peculiarities and the best ways of using them so as to gain the maximum out of it.