What is pressure washing?

A pressure washing device directs a stream of water at remarkably high pressure to remove nasty build-ups on surfaces. These build-ups include mold, grime, grease, mud, and dirt, to name the basic targets of high-pressure washing. Build-up from oil and manufacturing facilities, for example, requires the power of high-pressure washers to remove.

The high-pressure washer consists of these components: the motor that works the pump, the high-pressure hose, and the trigger gun. There are many different kinds of nozzles that go onto the trigger gun, depending on the target surface and the strength of the build-up that is to be removed. Some nozzles make a triangular plane, and others direct a pencil-thin stream of concentrated water at the spot. This pencil-thin stream can spiral around very fast, therefore hitting more surface area with a small, directed jet of water.

Depending on the job, some pressure washers include a detergent in the jet of water, to help in the removal of the build-up.

The water jets can be cold or hot, or steam-heated up to 330 degrees Fahrenheit.

Different pumps can be powered by a number of sources, such as electric, gas, or propane. Talk with your commercial pressure washing service about which option will best fit the job. You may decide on the electric motors because they are quieter and don't produce any exhaust (an environmentally harmful bi-product). (And ask your commercial pressure washing service provider if they offer free estimates.)

Commercial pressure washers can pump water and shoot it onto a surface at 5,000 pounds per square inch (PSI). That's much more powerful than any high-pressure unit you could rent or buy from domestic outlets.

The entire list of surfaces that commercial pressure washers can be used for could keep you up reading all night, but here is a partial list: Gas stations, restaurants, bathrooms, high-rise buildings, drive-throughs, sidewalks, driveways, awnings, parking lots, and bus stops. How do construction sites get cleaned up? How does graffiti disappear from the sides of buildings? How can you degrease heavy machinery? High-pressure washers can do the job.

Some uses of pressure-washing services go beyond cleanup and have to do with pre-treating a property. Take the painting of a house, for example. Before treating the house and painting it, it may be best to pre-clean the surface of the house. This process can eliminate flaws in the wooden and concrete surfaces and allow for a better, smoother painting job.

When it comes to pressure-washing concrete surfaces or homes (which are often sided with wood), different degrees of pressure are used. For concrete surfaces, 4000 PSI is the norm. That intensely high pressure is good at clearing out mold, mildew, and dirt that may have caked onto a road, parking lot, driveway, or building over the years.

For most homes, a lower pressure is used. It's safer for the house and will not threaten the integrity of exteriors like stucco, particle boards, wooden or vinyl or aluminum siding, brick, and cedar. It's recommended that you pressure-wash your home every 12 to 18 months. It improves the look and protects the paint and siding of the house from mold and mildew.

Who should call a commercial pressure washing service?

Before you paint your house, you may want to pressure-wash it to improve the surface.

Commercial properties will hire a commercial pressure washing service to improve the look of their businesses and properties. They're thinking that if their places of business look clean, neat, and attractive, there is a higher likelihood that customers will gravitate toward them. Not many people choose a dirty-looking establishment over a neat, clean place. And neat and clean means outside and inside.

Manufacturers need to keep up the functionality of their equipment. Greasy, oily, grimy equipment can be a safety hazard and could cause a lag in production: Equipment that's not clean may not work as efficiently. That's why manufacturers will hire a commercial pressure washing service to make sure their equipment is not only up to code, but clean and efficiently working.

Siding and roofing needs periodic cleaning to get rid of mold and mildew. Those substances can erode the paint on the home, and mildew could pose a health hazard.

What are the benefits and drawbacks to commercial pressure washing?

Water pressure from the washer's nozzle is very dangerous. When workers are performing their tasks, you'll have to make sure you and your family are out of reach of the pressure washers. The jets of water are so fast and concentrated that they could actually strip the flesh off of bone at close range.

And if aimed incorrectly, the jets of water could break up the asphalt even in efforts to clean it.

Though cleaning a house's surfaces before painting can improve the quality of the paint job, it often takes several days for the house to dry before it's ready to be painted. Some homeowners might not be able to wait that long. Specifically, it takes four hours to pressure wash a two-story house, but several days in warm weather for it to dry.
Then again, many pressure washing services use biodegradable chemicals.
Hiring a pressure washing service can cost less than replacing the surfaces that are dirty.
Pressure washing can restore exteriors, and it gets rid of harmful mold and mildew.
Pressure washing extends the life of roofs and roof shingles.
And a commercial pressure washing service can help restore a building and business site so that it is attractive and inviting for potential patrons.

The bottom line with commercial pressure washing:

Pressure washing directs a strong current of water at high pressures onto a surface to clean off dirt, grime, mold, and mud. This process can restore a property or a business, and generally make roads and buildings look more attractive, while protecting against the health hazards of mold and mildew.