Common Questions about Power Washing a Home

There are many misconceptions about power washing one’s home or business for painting.  I am going to answer some common questions that arise when we prepare or begin to wash our client’s homes.

A couple of quick things that we ask before we begin:

• We ask that your four-legged friends are put up so that we do not get them wet.

• We ask that all gates are unlocked for us to enter.

• We ask that your water spigot is turned on for us to use.

 

Do I need to be home for the power wash?

No.  It is not necessary for you to be home for the wash.  We only ask that we have access to your water spigot, and your water is turned on to the spigot before you leave for work.

 

Do I need to move anything away from my home before you begin power washing?

If there is anything that you do not want to get wet, please move it away from your home.  If we are painting or staining your deck, it is necessary that you move any furniture from the surface.  We can assist if you need help with that.

 

How long will it take to pressure wash my home?

Normally, power washing your home or business should only take about an hour.  The idea of power washing any painting project is to simply remove pollutants off the surfaces.  Depending on the size of the home, and the scope of the work, power washing can be done quickly and efficiently.

 

You washed my home.  Why is there still flaking paint on the side of my home?

This is normal.  Power washing your home for painting is not a tool that replaces scraping the failing paint from your home.  There certainly will be paint that flies from your home if it is failing, but that is not our intention.

 

Why are there paint flakes on the ground after you washed my home?

We normally try to pick up the paint flakes the best that we can.  When the flakes are wet, it is more difficult to do so.  Once our crew comes out to paint, we will make sure that the paint chips are collected to your satisfaction.

 

You just washed my home.  Why are there spider webs or wasp nests still there?

This is very common.  Some spider webs and wasp nests may not be removed by the wash.  At some heights, it is difficult for us to knock some of them down.  Do not worry about this, we will make sure that they are removed before painting begins by our painters.  Our guys are trained to always have rags with them for wiping anything down that needs it.

 

How long can my house go after being washed, before being painted?

It takes a long time for pollutants to attach to your home.  When we wash them, years of dirt and grime are removed.  A few weeks, or even a couple of months, will not be any issue for painting.

 

Do you use chemicals to power wash my home or business?

It is rare that we need to use anything but water and occasional bleach to pressure wash your painting project.  Bleach allows for the killing of mildew and is essential at times for a thorough job.  When we do find this necessary, we make sure that nothing harmful is used.

 

You power washed my home.  Now when does the painting begin?

Our Project Coordinator will stay in touch with you to let you know when we will be getting started.  Sometimes it is not immediately after the power wash.  We want to be proactive to get your home completely ready for a great paint job.