Pressure Washing Guide

Midwestpro · Posted: Sun Nov 25, 2007 10:03 am Post subject: Pressure Washing Myths

Being a pressure washing professional, there are many myths and misconceptions about pressure washing that I hear everyday that I know are absolutely false. These misconceptions cost the public untold amounts of money every year, and also cause many injuries, which, in turn, cost more money. Here are some of the most common misconceptions that can do damage to you, your home, and your budget:

It’s Easy Enough That We Can Do It Ourselves
This may be true to some extent but you can easily cause damage to yourself and your home if you’re not careful. I don't recommend to anyone to pressure wash from a ladder, this is very dangerous and should be left to a professional. Washing your vinyl siding from the ground at an upward angle will force water behind the siding causing water damage. Getting up in the air and away from the house will allow you to rinse the siding at a flatter angle. This can only be done with the proper equipment. Another thing is that even small, consumer grade pressure washing units put out too much pressure to wash vinyl, asphalt shingles, and pressure treated wood. Having the right equipment allows you to turn down the pressure, so you’re not causing damage.

High Pressure is the Only Way to Get It Clean
Only contractors that use inferior cleaners have to depend on high pressure to do the job. High pressure can do a lot of damage to your home. Wood is softer than you might think, and using too much pressure to wash a deck can cut wood and leave unsightly marks and scars that will show through the sealer. Using too much pressure on asphalt shingles is a huge mistake. Shingles have small pieces of grit on them, similar to sand, called granules. Excessive pressure can blow these granules off the shingles, lessening the longevity of your roof.

Hiring the contractor that offers the lowest price
We are all tempted by a low price, but hiring someone offering a ridiculously low price can be a huge mistake. These unethical companies use a low price as the bait and then add up charges, this tactic is called bait and switch. Some of these low priced contractors don’t know how else to get jobs so they offer a super low price to land a job and then are forced to take short cuts in order to turn a profit. These are the type of companies that do a horrible job and do damage to your property and then seem to fall off the face of the earth when you try reaching them regarding your legitimate concerns.

Aries · Joined: 19 Mar 2009 Posts: 24

I've dealt with the third one several times, they give me a fair price, and they start racking up charges. When they pull that crap with me, I give them the advertised price and tell them to get off my property. They try to badger, I just mention the word "Lawsuit" and they back down.

tongyun · Joined: 16 Mar 2009 Posts: 52

There's great wisdom in these words. There are times when I realize that the job is too big for me and it's time to bring in the professionals. I'd rather pay to have the job done right the first time. As for hiring the contractor with the lowest price - I usually go for the one right in the middle but only after I check references.

louise31 · Joined: 26 Mar 2009 Posts: 8

These are very wise words I think if more people realised their capabilities then there would be less accidents. I wont use the pressure washer as I know I cant use it properly but hubby id confident to use it so I leave it to him.

DavidT73 · Joined: 23 Oct 2007 Posts: 10 Location: IL

This is great advice.

tongyun · Joined: 16 Mar 2009 Posts: 52

Mockingbird · Joined: 05 Jul 2009 Posts: 37

is it possible to gt an estimate from a powerwashing company before they start? I mean an in person visit so they can see the propery? It would seem you should stay clear of anyone making an offer site unseen.

Midwestpro · Posted: Sun Jul 05, 2009 2:53 pm Post subject:

There are some that do estimates over the phone which I'm not a big fan of at all. Besides not knowing what a job involves by not looking at it I think it is also impersonalbe. Good contractors like to meet with a potential client and to start building a business relationship with them.

There are professionals at there that will provide you with an onsite property evaluation and estimate upon request free of charge, you just have to find the right contractor.

TNTPW · Posted: Sun Jul 12, 2009 10:36 pm Post subject:

Some contractors (myself included) will give ballpark figure over the phone, but it is a clear understanding between myself and the homeowner that it is just a ballpark figure and not the agreed price. I prefer to shake hands and meet my potential clients.

tongyun · Joined: 16 Mar 2009 Posts: 52

Midwestpro · Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 12:25 pm Post subject:

The nice thing about giving ballparks or minimums over the phone is that the tire kickers will be weeded out right there. I once had a guy that thought I could strip all the old sealer off his deck and then come back later to apply new sealer (a complete deck restoration). He thought he shouldn't pay more than $40! Needless to say I ended that relationship right there but it was a wasted trip that I may have been able to save with some price talking on the phone. Some people just don't get it. I literally told the guy to hire a couple of High School kids if that was the quality he was looking for.

TNTPW · Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 7:39 pm Post subject: