Pressure Washing For Wood Siding

How to safely clean wood siding on a house.

Pressure washing for wood siding.

Step 1 though far gentler than a pressure washer pivotpro is broadly similar in the sense that it releases a steady directed stream of water. If you have a wood frame house with any kind of wood siding clapboards shiplap board and batten shingles etc there is an excellent chance that washing your house with a high pressure washer will shoot water up under the siding potentially soaking wall cavities insulation wiring flooring plaster etc. Wood siding can benefit from a pressure wash as the grit that accumulates can be totally removed. Consumer reports experts share pressure washer cleaning advice for your deck roof siding car and more.

I can assume there is instant dissent with the title of this story. It wasn t so long ago that trisodium phosphate tsp was a go to choice for tough cleaning jobs especially on exteriors. The grit can cause damage as the wood moves with the wind and the changes in temperature. Under certain conditions pressure washers can cut into concrete and brick so imagine the potential effect on cedar vinyl or even fiber cement siding this inadvertent etching is easy to avoid though if you simply stand well back when aiming your sprayer at the siding.

Whether it is white or red cedar or clapboard or even alaskan yellow cedar it is still wood has longitudinal pores running its length from butt to feathered edge on a shingle as well as on cedar clapboard. Wood siding cleaner plastic sheeting. From there water can damage insulation electrical wiring and can spur mold growth. The power of pressure washers can be too much of a good thing.

Depending on your washer s psi rating this might mean anywhere from 18 inches to 6 feet away minimum. But there is good reason not to powerwash a wood sided exterior. Starting low and gently working your way up is the safest bet. While it s possible to wash wood siding correctly there s also a good chance that water will find its way up and under the exterior surface if you use high pressure.

A high powered pressure washer can also dent aluminum and vinyl siding. A pressure washer can quickly ruin vinyl siding by cracking it with the high pressure stream of water so it s necessary to know which pressure level and nozzle to use. Master the proper technique and you can use a pressure washer to clean the wood siding on your home safely without incurring damage to the material. Pressure washing can also remove many stains but care must be taken.