Exterior Cleaning
Pressure Washing in Charleston, SC
And why most of what needs washing should not be pressure washed.
And why most of what needs washing should not be pressure washed.
Quick answer: High pressure suits concrete, driveways, walks and sound masonry. Siding, painted surfaces, soft wood and roofs get a low-pressure soft wash instead, because pressure drives water behind siding, strips paint and raises wood grain. Southeastern Renovation pressure washes across the Charleston area, from Ladson and Summerville to Folly Beach and Kiawah, and in York County. Call (843) 718-8177.
Related: House soft washing.
High pressure drives water behind siding, through window seals and into places that then take weeks to dry. On painted surfaces it strips coating; on soft timber it raises the grain; on mortar it can cut the joint.
What most surfaces need is a soft wash — low pressure with a cleaning solution that kills the organic growth rather than blasting it off. It is slower to look dramatic and it lasts longer, because the mildew is killed rather than knocked off to regrow from what remains.
Pressure has its place: concrete, driveways, paths and some masonry take it well. The judgement is knowing which surface is which, and it is the whole difference between a good job and an expensive repair.
We take this work across greater Charleston, from Summerville and Goose Creek to Mount Pleasant, West Ashley and the sea islands, and on the York County side around Rock Hill, Fort Mill, Tega Cay and Lake Wylie. More on our exterior cleaning services.
It can, and this is the main thing worth knowing. High pressure forces water behind siding and through seals, strips paint and raises the grain on timber.
Most of a house should be soft washed at low pressure instead.
Pressure removes growth mechanically; soft washing kills it with a solution at low pressure.
Soft washing lasts longer because what is left behind is dead rather than trimmed back, and it does not risk driving water into the wall.
Concrete, driveways, paths and sound masonry, generally. Siding, painted surfaces, timber and roofs generally cannot, and the skill is in knowing which is in front of you.