DIY vs. Professional Power Washing: Consider Safety, Reliability, and Cost-Efficiency In Making Your Choice Power washing your home is a maintenance activity that’s best done regularly, particularly if you are thinking of selling your property. Foxnews.com features tips on power washing your home as detailed by home improvement expert Matt McMillan. Before going into any details, McMillan emphasizes the need for safety. A lot of accidents have happened as a result of improper do-it-yourself power washing practices, McMillan narrates. He believes a DIY job is appropriate only when it can be conducted from the ground, and ladders of any kind are not to be used. If you can’t do the job from the ground, you’ll need to get the services of a professional reputable power washing company. In addition to safety concerns, the article also points out other factors you should watch out for. One of these is understanding the power of each equipment nozzle and how this can affect the results of the washing. Power washing nozzles fall under four sizes, each one releasing a particular amount of pressure which may or may not be appropriate to the surface you are cleaning. Power washing your vinyl siding requires a nozzle with less strength than what is needed for a stone siding, for example. Too much pressure can damage vinyl or wood, while too little may not provide the power necessary for a thorough cleaning. Mr. McMillan says that determining the right nozzle size may take some experimentation. Certain detergents can also help make power washing jobs easier and faster, along with the proper choice between hot or cold water. Once again, there are several kinds of detergents to choose from, depending on the kind of surface that needs to be cleaned. Some reputable power washing companies such as Renew Crew, however, use their own proprietary cleaning solvents that enable much more thorough and longer-lasting results than commercial detergents. Still another factor that needs to be considered is the power source, which can either be natural gas, kerosene, and the like; or electricity. Fuel-powered washers are generally more mobile than electric ones, as they do not need to be plugged in to a power source. However, they can generate a lot of noise, as well as fumes which may be harmful to one’s health. While a do-it-yourself power cleaning job is entirely viable, all the different critical elements that need to be considered to achieve good results point to the benefits of hiring a professional power washing crew instead. The costs involved in hiring professionals are typically higher than in a DIY job, but the results that you get can be much more satisfactory and cost-efficient. More importantly, hiring professionals for the job can better guarantee your safety and that of your family’s. Visit my Google+ profile! September 05, 2013 · Industry News