Power Washing Vinyl Siding
After a while, your home exterior will definitely begin looking drab and the colour will start to fade off. You can correct this with the simple use of a pressure washer using the step-by-step guide described below.
Although vinyl siding does not necessarily require much maintenance, it also needs proper maintenance with occasional washing, once or twice a year. The situation can always be worse if your house is located near a road or a dusty field.
Take just one day off and dedicate it to washing your vinyl siding, which does not require much but a pressure washer and soapy water. If you are indeed a professional that can get the Ideal Siding repair done right check out our services, today!
Step I: Check the siding and its condition
The very first step will be to walk around your house, inspecting the condition of the vinyl siding. It is essential to ensure that the pieces are all intact and none has become loose because if there is even a small crack on the siding, then water will penetrate through into the house. Also, ensure the long walls have siding that perfectly overlaps.
You should also check the condition of the caulking and the glazing because if they are not in good condition, they might seep into the water. After doing so, shut the windows.
Step II: Water any gardens around the perimeter of the house
In washing the vinyl siding, you will use liquids with chemicals that might end up affecting your gardens. Therefore, if you have any gardens around the house, ensure you soak the soil with water. This will ultimately dilute the chemicals from the washing product, hence little or no effect on the plants.
Step III: Add soap
Before adding any soap to the reservoir, ensure it is multi-use, and it is safe for vinyl siding, sidewalks and also the windows. After confirming that, you can now add the soap concentrate into the soap concentrate and set the soap tip to the pressure washing wand.
Setting the soap tip will allow you to get a lower pressure at a wider angle of 60 degrees. This wide-angle will allow the wide distribution of soap across the siding.
Step IV: Apply soap
You can now turn on the pressure washer and start streaming the soapy water on the vinyl siding. While at that, ensure you avoid the laps of the vinyl siding as this will only trap water inside them and penetrate the insulation. This is because it’s almost impossible for trapped water to dry off, and that will eventually lead to water damage. Also, do not point the spray upwards, and using a tall ladder will make the washing even easier.
Note, the water should also be kept off the corners, but if you fail at doing so, then you should ensure you dry them with a towel when you are done. While the wide coverage of 60 degrees, with its straight blast, seems quite convenient, it does not help lift off the dirt beneath as well as the 45 degrees does. Therefore, always aim the wand at 45 degrees.
The initial amount of soap will not always be enough for the whole house perimeter. So, depending on how big your house is, you will need to regularly check the level and add some more soap. After doing that, always ensure you put the tip back on, or you can switch it with another.
Step V: Rinse off the dirt and soapy water
Using clean water, rinse off the soap and dirt removed from the sliding. Use the same pressure washer, but switched to a general-use tip and at an angle of 15-20 degrees. This angle provides more pressure, which is why you need to avoid pointing it up, as this may cause damage to the vinyl siding.
Step VI: Clean and dry the corners
As mentioned above, the corners and edges of the siding are susceptible, and if water remains in them, it can cause water damage, and so you need to clean the scorners and dry off any water that might be left there. Use a dry towel to do this.
Step VII: Rinse and clean your equipment
Clean or rinse all the equipment you have used and leave them dry properly.