When to Power Wash vs Pressure Wash
What Is the Difference Between Power Washing & Pressure Washing?
Power Washing
Power washing is a process by which surface contaminants, such as mildew, mold, dirt, and mud are removed from the exterior of your house by blasting highly pressurized water onto the surface. One of the key differences between power washing and pressure washing is that power washing actually uses water that has been heated to a very high temperature, which helps the process to remove the surface contaminants. Water that has been heated to a certain temperature will help break down the materials, making it easier for the washing process to clean the exterior of your home. With power washing it’s very important to hire a professional, as while you’re only using water, the temperature and pressure can be very dangerous if you’re not trained in using the tools properly. Power washing is usually only recommended for hard, exterior surfaces, such as fences, patios, sidewalks, and driveways, as these surfaces will need the extra force and heat to remove all of the surface contaminants. The advantage of a power washer’s heated water is most noticeable when cleaning areas with a serious case of mildew, salt, or grease. Because of the addition of heat to pressure, the power washer is definitely the more heavy-duty machine, meaning you need to be careful when using it.
Pressure Washing
While there are not very many differences between power washing and pressure washing, there are slight differences that make them completely different services. Pressure washing, unlike power washing, uses a normal temperature of water. It depends entirely on the pressure of the water, rather than the temperature. The pressure, then, is significantly higher, and will easily wash away contaminants such as mold, mildew, and dirt. As with power washing, pressure washing is done with highly specialized, dangerous equipment, meaning you should avoid pressure washing as a DIY project, and should instead hire an exterior house painting professional. Also as with power washing, it’s important to only allow this service to be performed on hard, exterior surfaces, as the pressure is just as high, if not higher, and can damage your home’s siding or paint job. Therefore, it’s recommended that it only be performed on sidewalks, fences, decks, patios, etc. These areas need the extra pressure to get rid of the dirt, and they are strong enough so as not to be harmed by the extreme pressure.
