Pressure Washing

What surfaces can and can't be pressure washed?

High-pressure washing is appropriate for hard, durable surfaces: concrete driveways, walkways, patios, brick patios (with care for mortar joints), and stone hardscape. Surfaces that should NOT be high-pressure washed include painted siding (use soft wash), roofs of any type (soft wash only), aged or soft wood, stucco (controlled pressure with the right tip), older mortar joints, and any surface with caulk or sealant that high pressure can blow out. The general rule: if the surface can be damaged by water at 3,000+ PSI hitting it from a few feet away, it needs soft washing, not pressure washing.

What's the difference between pressure washing and soft washing?

Pressure washing uses high pressure (typically 2,500–4,000+ PSI) to mechanically blast dirt and grime off a surface, appropriate for concrete, masonry, and other hard surfaces. Soft washing uses low pressure (often less than 500 PSI, sometimes near garden-hose pressure) to apply a cleaning solution that does the work chemically; the rinse just removes the loosened grime and residue. Painted siding, roofs, and most home exteriors should be soft washed, not pressure washed. Using high pressure on a painted house is one of the most common preventable causes of paint failure and water damage.

How often should my home be pressure washed?

Most homes benefit from a soft wash of the exterior siding every 1–3 years, depending on climate, tree cover, humidity, and the amount of organic growth in your area. Driveways and walkways typically need cleaning every 1–2 years to manage oil staining and biological growth. Roofs vary by roof type and growth pressure, some homes need a soft wash every 3–5 years to manage algae streaks; others can go much longer. The most reliable signal is visual: when biological growth or staining is visible from the curb, it's time.

What time of year is best for pressure washing?

Spring through fall in most climates. Mild temperatures (above ~40°F) are required for cleaning solutions to work properly and to avoid freezing in the equipment. Late spring is a popular window because it tackles winter buildup ahead of summer use; fall is another common choice for getting the home clean before winter. We avoid scheduling work in active rain, freezing temperatures, or extreme heat with no shade. For paint prep specifically, we time the wash so surfaces have full drying time before paint goes up.

Does pressure washing damage surfaces?

It can, when used incorrectly. The most common damage we're called in to repair: paint stripped off siding from too much pressure, water driven behind vinyl or fiber cement panels causing interior damage, wood etched and gouged from holding the wand too close, mortar joints blown out of brick, roof shingles dislodged or granules stripped, and window seals compromised. All of these are preventable with the right technique and pressure for the surface, which is why surface assessment and method selection are the first steps in our process, not the equipment itself.

Will pressure washing remove all stains?

Most organic and surface staining (dirt, mildew, algae, light oil, tire residue) comes off cleanly with the right detergent and method. Deep oil stains, paint overspray, rust staining, and stains that have penetrated porous surfaces (like deep into raw concrete) often won't come off completely, they may lighten significantly but not disappear entirely. We're upfront at the estimate about what we expect to fully remove versus what will improve but not vanish. Setting accurate expectations is part of the job.

Do you cover plants and protect landscaping?

Yes, and it's standard, not an upgrade. Plants are pre-watered (so leaves are saturated and less likely to absorb cleaning solution), covered with breathable tarps or sheeting where directly in the spray path, and re-rinsed with fresh water after work is complete. Sodium hypochlorite-based soft-wash solutions are safe for landscaping at proper dilution with these protections in place. We also confirm runoff direction so solution drains away from beds rather than into them.

Can pressure washing remove mold and mildew?

Yes, and the active ingredient in most professional soft-wash solutions (sodium hypochlorite) is specifically effective against the algae, mildew, and lichen that cause the green, gray, and black staining on siding and roofs. The solution kills the biological growth at the cellular level rather than just blasting it off the surface, which is why soft-washed homes stay clean significantly longer than pressure-washed homes, there's no living growth left to immediately re-colonize.

Should I pressure wash before painting?

Yes, and it's typically required, not optional. Paint applied over dust, biological growth, chalking, or surface contamination fails fast regardless of paint quality. Standard exterior paint prep includes a thorough soft wash of all surfaces to be painted, full drying time (usually 24–48 hours depending on conditions), then any necessary scraping, priming, and caulking before paint goes up. Skipping the wash is one of the most common reasons exterior paint fails within a year or two instead of lasting the expected 7–12 years.

Pressure washing vs. painting, which comes first?

Pressure washing always comes first when the two are sequenced together, it's prep for paint, not the other way around. The standard sequence: soft-wash all exterior surfaces, allow full drying time, scrape and sand any failing paint, repair any damaged carpentry, prime bare areas, caulk all joints, then apply paint. For pressure washing as a standalone service (not before paint), there's no sequencing issue, the surface is just left clean.

How long does pressure washing take?

A driveway and walkway is typically a 2–4 hour visit. A whole-home soft wash is usually a same-day job. A deck or fence pre-stain wash is a few hours. Roof soft wash for a typical residential home is also same-day. Larger properties, multi-surface jobs, or homes with significant organic growth that needs extended dwell time may run longer. Your project manager will give you a specific time window when the work is booked.

Will water get into my house?

Not when the work is done correctly. Soft washing of painted siding doesn't drive water behind panels because the pressure is too low. The risk of water intrusion comes from high-pressure washing of siding (a common DIY mistake) and from spraying directly into vents, soffit openings, or window seals. Our protocol seals these openings before work starts and uses appropriate pressure for each surface. We've cleaned thousands of homes without water-intrusion issues using the right method.