Do I Need To Power Wash My House Every Year?
One of the most important things to know about power washing, is how often it needs to be done. Many companies will state exact time frames like “every year”, “every other year”. The truth is, it depends on many things and there really is no blanket right answer. Usually, the most important time to power wash your home is one of the following four reasons;
There is no arguing that power washing your house is one of the most important aspects of being a homeowner. Probably only second to paying the mortgage. There are many benefits that come along with power washing, from curb appeal to prolonging the life of your house. Read “The 6 Benefits of Power Washing” for more information. Power washing your home will clean off any stains or mold spreading across the siding. Also, it will return your roof to that original appearance. Most importantly, power washing your house will prevent costly repairs.
The question remains, how often should I power wash my house? This article will not only answer this question, but it will also inform you on the reasons to power wash and the best time to power wash your house. The answers are going to surprise you!
Confused about the difference between power washing and pressure washing? Check out our previous article “what is power washing?” to understand it better.
Why Should I Power Wash?
First thing first, let’s talk about why you should power wash your house. I already told you that power washing your house is an important aspect of owning a home, but why?
Power Washers are extremely powerful. This will provide the ability to remove stubborn stains from strong surfaces. Although they are powerful, more often than not, high pressure will actually damage the surface materials. Luckily for you, power washers also work on low-pressure settings. This provides the versatility to clean the most delicate of surfaces while utilizing detergents. (Here at All Clean Exteriors, we almost NEVER use high pressure, we prefer using an environmentally friendly detergent and low pressure.) Many do-it-yourself power washers don’t understand the importance of the water pressure or lack thereof. That’s why you should reach out to a local professional power washing service before you risk causing serious damage in need of expensive repairs.
Stains are ugly, but what about our health? One of the most common uses of power washers is removing mold, mildew and moss from various surfaces on your property. These things are harmful to you and your families health. So now you’re thinking you will just power wash once you see the mold and mildew. If that’s the case, you must read the next sentence. In all reality, most mold and mildew starts growing and causing damage before it’s fully visible! Sorry to ruin your day.
Check out the “Professional vs DIY Power Washing” to learn more about the PROs and CONs of both.
How Often Should I Power Wash?
Ok, so we talked about why you should power wash, now let’s talk about how often you should power wash. Like I previously stated, most power washing service providers will provide a fixed time frame on when you should power wash. But I’m going to let you in on a common service industry mindset…they just want your money! Shocker, I know. The truth is, every house and every surface is different. Many things contribute to the need to power wash and time isn’t the only factor.
Are there benefits to power washing your house every year? Yes, of course there is. But in some cases that can be a total waste of money. With that being said, some houses require yearly power washing. For example, if you own a house on the beachfront in Monmouth County, you should be regularly power washing your house to prevent salt damage. Another example is if your house is under a lot of shade. The sun plays a huge role in properly drying your home and preventing mildew from growing. Now is the time to start thinking about your property and some of the factors that may contribute to the need for power washing.
When Should I Pressure Wash?
Like I previously said, every house is different. Monitoring your house and observing the change in color and the growth of mold and mildew will help you understand your home’s cleaning needs. But let me remind you, the damage starts before you can see it! So be sure to schedule your cleaning before it’s too late.
So you know the basic times of when it is most important to power wash your home. However, something to always remember is that the damage may be occurring before you can see it! Mold and mildew is not always visible in the early stages of growth. Let’s take a look at details for each of the four (4) best times to power wash your house.
1) The Three M’s (Mold, Moss and Mildew)
Most mold, moss and mildew grows from moisture and lack of sunlight. This combination is heaven for mold. So if you reside in the Monmouth County or surrounding area, that means early summer is usually the best time to power wash. After the rainy months of April and May, the mold, mildew, and moss are most likely growing. This will also spruce up the appearance of your house for your summer company. For many houses this may be every year. However, some houses can be power washed every other year.
2) Preparing for a sale
If you are preparing to sell your home, now is the time to power wash! The first impression is the most important. At a very affordable price, the return on investment of sprucing up curb appeal will go a long way in getting top dollar for your house. In fact, the National Realtors Association states “house washing can add $10K-$15K to the value of your home.” The best thing to do, is picture being the potential buyer of your own house. You wouldn’t be impressed at an open house that is covered in green mold and mildew, would you?
3) Preparing for paint
This is a common time to power wash your home. Power washing will help prep the surface for a new coat of paint or stain. This is accomplished by removing any chipped and peeling paint. Also, it will remove all those pesky cobwebs and spider webs.This is a risky process though and often over looked. Using high pressure on the wrong surface will instantly damage it. Please call a Professional before regretting a decision to use high pressure.
4) If Your House is Dirty
I mean come on, this goes without saying. If you let your house become noticeably dirty then it is definitely time to power wash your house. I know time gets the best of us sometimes. We don’t want you to become the dirty house on the block that all the neighbors talk about. Nobody wants to be that house. Take a walk around you property and see if you check off any of these four (4) reasons. If so, reach out and get a free quote now, just click here and complete the form.
Now What?
So now you know the truth. Stop listening to all those random things you read on the internet. Take it from the power washing experts, you may not need to power wash every year. You now know the answer to all the important questions; “Why should I power wash my house?” How often should i power wash my house?” And “when is the best time to power wash my house?” Still have questions? Reach out through our online form or give us a call at 732-570-4923 and will answer all of your questions.
Check out some of the different residential power washing services we provide in the Monmouth County and surrounding areas.
