How Long Does It Take to Pressure Wash a House?
A gas or electric pressure washer is one of the most useful tools for cleaning the exterior of your home. When using the correct nozzle, you can safely and effectively remove mold, mildew, and dirt. But how long does it take to pressure wash a house? Let’s find out.
Pressure washing the exterior of a home can take anywhere from 45 minutes to 4 hours. This is clearly a large time frame, but the truth is that there are many factors involved. Square footage, additional levels, and the overall condition of the siding will impact how long it takes.
Factors to Consider
It doesn’t matter if you’re a homeowner looking for a project, or if you own a pressure washing business. There are some things to take into consideration that will impact how long it takes to pressure wash a house.
House Size
The most important thing to take into consideration is the house size. A 1,500 square foot ranch will always be a faster job, compared to a 4,500 square foot colonial. Ranch style homes are not only smaller in general, but they don’t require a ladder, because there is no second story.
Even though house size is a critical factor, there are other things to keep in mind. A large ranch house still won’t require a ladder for cleaning. In other words, square footage can throw you off, without knowing the style of the house first. You can’t base a job only off of square footage alone.
Siding Condition
Houses come in all different shapes and sizes. But they also come in all different conditions. Exterior surfaces that are covered with mold and mildew will require more care. Sometimes this stubborn overgrowth may need more than a pressure wash. If this is the case, a mild detergent will help.
Just remember that this extra step only increases the amount of time it takes to clean the exterior. And it doesn’t matter if you’re working on a new house, or older houses. New constructions can get just as dirty as old houses. It all depends on how the house was taken care of up to that point.
Landscaping
You’re probably wondering how landscaping impacts the amount of time it takes to pressure wash a house. For one, you want to avoid damaging plants, flowers, and other shrubs that are located on the perimeter of the home. These areas will need to be cleaned slowly and carefully.
In addition to cleaning these delicate areas, landscaping also becomes a problem when pressure washing with soap. Before beginning the job, you will need to overwater all the plants around the house. This takes more time, but it will keep the plants alive when any soap or detergent gets on them.
How to Pressure Wash a House Step-by-Step
Now that you know what to consider before pressure washing a house, let’s walk through the step-by-step process. It’s best to avoid grabbing the wand and spraying without a plan. There is a specific process you need to follow, to guarantee the best results possible.
1. Plan Accordingly
Before you begin any outdoor project, it’s important to plan ahead of time. Make a list of all the things you need to do, so you don’t get overwhelmed when it’s time to start. You will need to gather up all your equipment, and remove any patio furniture, tools, and outdoor tools for a clean work area.
It’s also a good idea to check the weather a few days leading up to the job. Pressure washing in the rain is fine if there’s not a lightning storm in the forecast. Lastly, make sure to water all plants and shrubs around the exterior of the house. This will help prevent any plants from dying if you are using soap.
2. Start Near the Roof
It’s critical to start cleaning in the area where the siding meets the roof. This part of the house can get hidden by the gutters and not see much daylight. As a result, there might be heavier amounts of dirt, mold, or mildew. The best thing to do is carefully wash this area in the very beginning.
For two-story houses, you might want to clean this area while standing on a ladder. A 40-degree nozzle should do the trick, as it will pack enough cleaning power without causing any damage to the gutters. Make sure to get all the hard-to-reach cracks now, so you won’t have dirt dripping down later.
3. Wash Windows and Doors
Make sure to wash all of the windows and doors as you are moving your way down the house with the pressure washer. Similar to the areas near the gutter, windows and door frames can hold hard to reach dirt. That’s why to achieve the best results possible, you need to clean these sections first.
You’re probably wondering if it’s even safe to clean windows with a pressure washer. The good news is there is nothing to worry about, if you’re using the correct nozzle. A 40-degree nozzle will be safe on these surfaces. Anything lower will concentrate too much water pressure in one area.
4. Try Using Soap
Sometimes it doesn’t matter how much pressure you’re using if the surface is really dirty. For exterior siding that has been neglected, you may want to try using a cleaning detergent. Most pressure washers today have a build in tank that holds soap, which makes the application process much easier.
If you are using soap, make sure to spray it over the exterior and let it dwell for a few minutes, before rinsing. The cleaning agents will work much better when they have time to soak into the surface. Just keep in mind that if you are working in direct sunlight soap tends to dry much faster.
Pressure Washing Tips
Move with the Wand – To make the most out of your pressure washer, you need to understand how to use it. It’s not like using a hose, which is why you need to avoid standing in one place and spraying. You need to constantly be walking back-and-forth and move with the wand for the best results.
Get on a Cleaning Schedule – If you’re working on a really dirty house, chances are it has been neglected for quite some time. And the dirtier it is, the longer it will take to clean. You have no control over this as a business owner. But for cleaning your own home, wash it once a year so it never gets out of hand.
Try Different Attachments – The general rule of thumb is to use a 40-degree nozzle on the outside of a home. But don’t be afraid to try more aggressive nozzles if you think the siding can handle it. Vinyl siding can withstand more pressure than wood, so you can experiment with tighter nozzles at a further distance.
Conclusion
By now you should know that the amount of time it takes to pressure wash a house varies considerably. The square footage and overall condition of the house will be the biggest factors. So make sure to plan accordingly and give yourself plenty of time before starting this home improvement project.
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