Pros And Cons Of Cleaning Your Vinyl-Sided Home With A Power Washer

Vinyl siding does not require much maintenance, but if you want it to continue to look its best, you will want to clean it now and then. There are a few ways to do this. Some people just wash their siding with a scrub brush and bucket. Others spray it off with a hose. However, the most common approach tends to be power washing the siding. If you are deciding whether or not to power wash your vinyl-sided home, here are some pros and cons to consider.

Pros: Power washing will get in any grooves in the siding

Some vinyl siding has some grooves to make it look more like wood. These grooves are where the dirt tends to accumulate. Rinsing the siding with a hose does not always effectively flush the debris out of the siding. Power washing, on the other hand, tends to. For this reason, textured siding often looks cleaner when washed with a power washer as opposed to a brush or a hose.

Con: Power washing can drive water under the siding

You will need to be careful when power washing to not send water flowing up and under the siding. You'll need to angle the power washer down to avoid this. If you are not cautious enough, then you risk driving water under the siding, which can lead to mold and water damage to the underlying structures.

Pro: Power washing does not require the use of cleaners

There are cleaners you can add to a power washer to better remove algae and stuck-on grime. But even if you do not use these cleaners, the power washer will do a great job of loosening and getting rid of grime. This makes it a safe option for your garden plants and lawn, which may not react well to the chemicals in cleaners.

Con: Power washing is time-consuming

It can take a few hours or more to power wash an entire side of your home. For larger homes, power washing can be a multi-day project. Simply hosing the home off is quicker, even if it is not as effective.

Consider the pros and cons above when deciding whether to power wash your home. If you like the idea of power washing but don't want to do it yourself, there are plenty of services you can hire. Contact one in your area, and ask them to give you a quote.