Why Soft Wash your house?

Whether you are putting your home on the market or you are simply looking to improve its exterior, there is a long list of reasons why you should soft wash your home. In this post, we dive into some of the top reasons. Should soft washing be your next home improvement project? Find out below.

Pride of Ownership

Let’s face it. You have worked hard to own your home. It makes sense to be prideful. To keep it in the best shape possible, you will want to remove common contaminants such as:

• Insects near the soffits.
• Black streaking on the roof and gutters.
• Green algae on the north side.
• General dirt and grime buildup on the other sides.

You owe it to yourself to see your home shine every time you pull in your driveway. Did I mention that we can also remove years of baked-on dirt from your concrete or aggregate driveway? Power washing will help make this a reality.

Curb Appeal

What goes great with beautiful landscaping? Soft washing. What makes your patio shine after a long winter? Soft washing. It’s truly the solution to increasing your home’s curb appeal.

A clean home is not only a great reflection on you, the homeowner but your neighborhood as a whole. Often when one property is cleaned, your neighbors follow suit. This creates somewhat of a chain reaction as the number of clean homes continues to grow. And who doesn’t love a beautiful, well-maintained neighborhood?

Protect Your Home

Contaminants on your home can become permanently embedded if left untreated for too long. If given enough time, algae, mold, and mildew can get underneath the siding and damage the underlying wood. By soft washing your home on a regular maintenance schedule, you are protecting yourself from costly repairs and replacements in the future.

Return on Investment

Buying a home is a big investment and one that should be protected. Your home decreases in value the less it is maintained. In fact, the National Association of Realtors suggests that a soft-washed home can add up to $15,000 to the sale price. Soft washing your home is important because it helps maintain the value of your property.

Soft Washing is Effective

Opposed to hand scrubbing, soft washing is a more effective and thorough way to clean your home. The proper solution followed by a low-pressure rinse will get the stains up more effectively than scrubbing. Scrubbing can also damage your home’s wood or vinyl siding. When performed by the right company, soft washing your home will help bring your siding back to life and make it look like new again.

Simply put, you should soft wash your home because it is an excellent way to thoroughly clean and beautify your investment. Contact us today for a free exterior inspection.

Soft Washing vs. Power Washing

Have you noticed that dirt and grime on your roof, siding, or deck? Over time, dirt and other damaging elements such as algae, mildew, and mold, can build up around your house, leaving it in need of a good clean. If you are new to pressure cleaning, you’re probably not sure which method is best – soft washing vs power washing. Not to worry, this article will outline each method so you can have a much clearer picture before you proceed.

Soft Washing vs Power Washing: What’s the difference?

Understanding the difference between soft washing and power washing can help you decide which is best. The clue in defining each method lies in their names – ‘soft’ and ‘power’. The main difference between the two is that soft washing uses low pressure and power washing uses high pressure to remove the dirt and stains when cleaning surfaces.

Is Power Washing the Same as Pressure Washing?

Power washing should not be confused with pressure washing. They are similar but very different in that power washing uses a heating element to raise the water temperature to the correct temperature for the application. We all know how much better hot water is when it comes to cleaning. Pressure washing does not have this feature, cold water alone is used during the cleaning process.

Soft Washing and Power Washing Cleaning Methods

Both soft washing and power washing methods use pressurized water in combination with cleaning detergents. However, as previously stated, what differentiates each cleaning method is that power washing uses higher pressure compared to soft washing. This means that power washing is ideal for harder surfaces – which includes sidewalks, driveways, paved patios, and many types of stone – while softer surfaces like vinyl siding, roofs, wooden fences, decks and even brick siding are more suited for soft washing.

Is One Better Than the Other?

No. There is no method that’s better than the other. The best method would depend on your specific requirements. Some people may think that power washing is less desirable since it can cause some damage. This, however, is not entirely true. There are some instances where power washing is more favorable; the key is to know how and when to use it so that there is no damage done. Yes, power washing can chip pieces of paint or wood off more delicate surfaces, but not all surfaces are equally delicate. Power washing for cleaning larger areas like a long driveway is completely acceptable and even preferable over soft washing.

So basically, different surfaces and stains will require different cleaning methods. All you have to do is make sure you pick the right cleaning method for the surface you want to clean, not just because you want to ensure your surface gets cleaned thoroughly, but also because you want to avoid any damage to the surface.

Soft vs Power Washing Techniques

How Soft Washing Works

Where power washing favors pressure, soft washing favors solutions to do all the work in the cleaning process. The only pressure needed is the pressure that applies the solution onto the surface. Ultimately, the proper solution is most important, as well as the ‘dwell time’. Dwell time simply refers to the amount of time a cleaning solution is required to sit on a surface to break down the grime, stains, and other buildups effectively. Once the needed dwell time has passed, the surface is then rinsed off using low pressure and the results are a smooth, clean surface that leaves your home looking brand new.

How Power Washing Works?

Power washing, on the other hand, uses a combination of pressurized water and heat to clean surfaces. The high pressure and heated water are what make power washing very good at removing stubborn dirt, chewing gum, and oil from sidewalks, driveways, and garage floors. This isn’t only because of the water pressure that literally hammers down onto the dirt, but because the super-heated water provides a more effective, thorough, and deeper clean.

What Is Meant by High and Low Pressure?

What exactly does high and low pressure mean in terms of pressure cleaning? Well, numerically speaking, the rate at which water is released by a pressure cleaning machine is measured by what is known as pounds per square inch (PSI). In the case of power washing, a machine releases water at a PSI of around 4000, while soft washing releases around 500 PSI or less. The higher the PSI used for pressure cleaning, the higher the water pressure will be.

Soft Washing A House

What’s great about soft washing is that it allows you to clean a surface without leaving behind damage to the area. This is what makes soft washing suitable for any surface around your house or property. Use it to clean your roof, deck, or fence without destroying any paint or materials.

While power washing can be great for driveways and other hard surfaces, soft washing is generally preferable for more delicate surfaces, like house sidings, roofs and wooden decks and patios.

Soft Washing vs Power Washing Equipment

Before you can even think about what equipment to use, you first need to figure out what type of surface you want to clean. Different surfaces have different requirements for cleaning, which includes different solutions, chemicals, pressures, machine nozzle sizes, and cleaning techniques.

What Equipment You’ll Need?

There’s a variety of different equipment available for soft and power washing. For soft washing, one thing to look out for is to make sure that the spray gun has a low-pressure nozzle. For power washing, since it uses a lot of power while cleaning, it’s no surprise then that the machine needed is one that is powerful enough to handle the job. So, if you’re thinking of tackling the job yourself, speak to a professional so that they can guide you in choosing the right one as these machines run into the thousands of dollars.

Alternatively, you can hire a professional company to do the cleaning for you. The professionals at Terra Solutions have years of experience cleaning various surfaces. Both Soft Washing and Power Washing can be especially dangerous if done by an inexperienced homeowner and getting up on a roof to soft wash it yourself isn’t advised. Our team at Terra Solutions is always here to help you.

Different Cleaning Solutions for Soft and Power Washing

Choose the Right Solution for the Right Surface

Soft wash treatments tend to last longer than power wash treatments because the solutions used in soft washing will offer a deeper clean, going beyond the surface into the structure and cleaning from inside out. It literally gives a deeper clean. There are a variety of different solutions you can use for a soft wash treatment. Essentially, it comes down to knowing which solutions to use for different types of stains or dirt and how long they can dwell before they need to be washed off. Also, because every surface is different, you need to understand which solution can be used on the surface you want to treat. Remember, when it comes to detergents, you must make sure that you use the right one.

Don’t Forget to Care for the Environment

A key factor to keep in mind is the chemicals you use when soft washing. Some chemicals can be very strong, which is why you should always opt to use biodegradable chemicals that won’t be harmful to the environment. At Terra Solutions, we use only biodegradable solutions.

If you plan to do the cleaning yourself, be sure to cover all your plants in plastic wrap before you start cleaning. A lot of chemicals marketed for both pressure washing and soft washing can be quite harmful to plants.

Which Pressure Cleaning Method Is Best?

Recap

Both cleaning methods have advantages and disadvantages. What you have to do is choose the one that suits the surface you want to be cleaned. Some surfaces can take more pressure while others are too delicate and need a gentler approach.

Still Not Sure?

The safest bet is to talk with a professional who will explain which method will work best to give you the desired results. Even if you think you can do it yourself, it’s always safer to call the experts before you accidentally damage the surface you are trying to clean or worse, injure yourself. These machines can be dangerous in the hands of an untrained user. Because of this, it’s better to get someone who’s skilled and who will get your home cleaned the first time round without any hassle! Contact us today for a free exterior inspection.

Power Washing | Professional vs DIY

Professional vs DIY Power Washing

While some home improvement projects lend themselves to the do-it-yourself community, others should be left to professionals. When it comes to power washing, if you have simply done a few minutes of research, you know both DIY and hiring a professional service are options. There is a lot to consider, from cost to the quality of the job, and both options present a list of pros and cons. In this post, we highlight those pros and cons to make sure you have all the information you need before power washing your home.

DIY Power Washing

PROS

On a per-day basis, renting a power washer is not too expensive. For smaller projects, you can adequately wash surfaces and keep it cost-effective. Another benefit of choosing the DIY route for power washing, if you decide to do so, is that you have full control over the operation and outcome of the project. You can easily find a standard residential pressure washer at a local home improvement store for rental.

CONS

While doable, power washing your home can be time-consuming and potentially dangerous. For example, there are countless hard-to-reach areas on a typical home that are difficult to clean with a standard pressure washer, due to its low PSI and limited gallons per minute. In this situation, your first instinct will likely be to grab a ladder. While logical, there is a high risk of injury since there is a great amount of pressure coming from the wand. Additionally, the high pressure can easily damage the structure of your vinyl or wood siding.

Another common perception is that, in general, it is cheaper to power wash on your own. While that may be true for small and concentrated areas, there are several overlooked factors:

Cost of equipment (pressure washer rental/purchase, fuel, etc.)
Cost of soap/cleansers
Cost of water used
Opportunity cost

While opportunity cost may not be top of mind, it is critical to know that washing a house without professional-grade equipment can take days to complete. Even then, the results may not be what you expected. Simply put, the best and safest way to power wash a home is to use a soft wash method in combination with professional cleaners. DIY power washing makes it nearly impossible to accomplish that.

Professional Power Washing

PROS

Hiring one of the professional power washing services in your area will yield the best results for your home. Reputable power washing companies have the experience and processes to assure that your property gets washed safely and efficiently.

As previously mentioned, a standard residential pressure washer will not have the capability to reach high areas or effectively clean stubborn areas of a home. Conversely, a professional power washing company will have the equipment and technology to clean your entire home thoroughly. On top of that, here a few other advantages of hiring an experienced professional company:

A reputable company is fully insured in case of any unforeseen issues.
All contaminants, like algae, mold, and mildew, will be removed from your home.
You will have a single expense vs. shopping around for a long list of equipment.
You do not have to spend your weekend or free-time power washing.

CONS

When hiring a company or contractor to wash your home, it is understandable to look for the lowest price. Just like in any industry, price is often directly correlated to quality. We encourage you not to focus solely on price but instead spend time researching a company’s credibility and reviews. This will prevent a situation where someone shows up with just a pickup truck and the same pressure washer you could have rented. Additionally, a contractor like this may become elusive once the job is paid for, which can be especially problematic if there were any issues with the job. Unfortunately, fly-by-night companies do exist.

Hiring a Professional Like Terra Solutions

Terra Solutions sets the standard for professional power washing services. We take pride in all aspects of our customer-first process, which ensures every home is efficiently and effectively cleaned. Here is the typical process:

Schedule your service in one short phone call with a local power washing expert.
Whether you are home or not, our team can perform all of the requested services.
You are notified (and/or walked around your property) when the job is complete.
You are not charged until the service is completed.
We follow up with you to ensure we exceeded your expectations.

Are you looking to power wash your home? Still not sure if you want to hire a professional to do the work? We would be happy to discuss with you why hiring Terra Solutions is the right choice. Just call our team today or get the process started by requesting a free quote.