This is a question we hear so often from our customers despite most of them confessing to using a pressure washer to regularly clean their sidings and windows. The quick and simple answer is; Yes, if the job is done incorrectly. We see numerous homes and buildings that have damaged areas because an unskilled person tried to pressure wash the building.
Pressure washing or power washing involves the use of high-pressure water spray to remove loose grime, dust, mud, paint, mold, chewing gum and dirt from surfaces and objects such as buildings and concrete surfaces. The pressure, is expressed in pounds per square inch,(psi), and can be varied by adjusting the unloader valve. Most pressure washers shoot water at pressures starting at 1500 psi which is not too destructive but they can go as high as 3300 psi which will blast through vinyl,solid wood, asphalt and even concrete if they are too close.
Dangers of Pressure Washer on Vinyl Siding
Vinyl siding, though tough is not completely water tight. The sidings have joining gaps and high pressure water will always find its way in through to the wooden material beneath the siding. Once the water is in the wall it is often difficult for it to evaporate. This could lead to rotting of the wooden building materials , mouldy insulation, crumbling plaster, and cupped flooring all from a pressure washer’s work. Nothing in your walls likes to be wet so it is important to keep it dry.
Another challenge with using a pressure washer on the sidings is that a higher psi will cause strips on the vinyl or discolour the sidings.
Pressure Washing Can Tear Your Window Screens
It is not advisable to use Pressure washing on soft surface and materials , like window screens because it can tear your screens.
High pressure water can break windows and seals
If you have double pane windows the high pressure water can break the seals. This will then allow moisture to go through thus causing fogging between the layers of glass or smoky windows. If you have older, single pane windows that same high pressure water can break the window glass. The only way to fix that is to replace your windows.
The high pressure water can also break the seals between the windows and doors allowing water into your home which can then cause mould on the inside walls. It can also soak and damage your furniture, belongings, carpeting and hardwood floors.
Pressure washers can even remove paint and chip wooden parts
Extra caution is required when using a pressure washer on parts of the house that have exposed wood like window frames, door frames or garages .Too much water pressure will chip away the wood and remove the paint. If the building is much older, and is painted with lead paint, removing or loosening it unknowingly as you pressure wash could contaminate the environment.
Conclusion
Pressure Washing as a way to clean windows and vinyl siding though popular, has many downsides .You need to be extra careful with the pressure levels as you clean and also adjust the angles accordingly. If done incorrectly, this DIY activity ends up being a real time waster because you spend your day working hard only to do a poor cleaning job or paying huge sums of money in repairs and replacements. Contact All Clean Property Services at 1-780-680-4891 today to save yourself the cost of collateral damage!
We clean the vinyl sidings and windows by scrubbing with a brush on a water fed pole. Most of our customers prefer combining their vinyl siding and windows cleaned at the same time.
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