A Successful Home Sale

If you are thinking of pressure washing your home, there are a few things you should be aware of that will help you get the job done safely and efficiently. Always bear in mind that a high-pressure water blast can create havoc in many ways if you are not careful.

Deciding Which Nozzle And Tip To Use

You should know which tip is best for low pressure and high pressure washing. Color-coded nozzle and tips help you to make the right choices. A website article notes that code settings vary from 0 to 40 degrees and urges you to use a lower code setting such as zero for cleaning hard-to-remove stains. It advocates the use of higher code settings such as 25 or 45 degrees for cleaning out leaves and sand. Make sure the nozzle/tip is securely attached before activating the trigger gun, the article warns. This ensures that the tip won't fly off and damage the house or harm you.

Wearing Protective Gear

1. Wear goggles to protect your eyes from blasts of water that a stiff wind could blow into your eyes.
2. Wear earplugs to prevent water from getting into your ear canal.
3. Consider wearing waterproof gloves and rubber boots.

Other Safety Tips

1. Keep kids inside your home with adult supervision.
2. Make sure no one else is outside the home before you start using the nozzle.

Hints About Operating The Motor

After you've checked all the above safety issues, you are now ready to start the motor. Take a hint from a residential pressure washing industry expert who warns that pressure starts building as soon as you start the motor and that you shouldn't let the motor idle for long. This expert also warns that the water strength from a jet pressure washer is 50 times the strength of a garden hose and is capable of creating chaos if the hose is incorrectly handled.

Choose Correct Hot Water Temperature For Washing Vinyl Siding

One website article recommends that you do not use hot water that's over 120 degrees if you'll be pressure washing vinyl siding. That degree of hot water can result in buckling or shrinking of the siding, the article states. It also emphasizes that hot water over 180 degrees may also crack lead depression-era glass windows.

The article additionally recommends that you use a brush to remove soil that loosens near vinyl siding and later collects behind it. It notes that low pressure washing, below 300 psi, should be used for washing away the soil. Accordingly, this pressure level is also very effective if you combine it with an antimicrobial cleaner to remove mold and mildew.