tips for restoring your home after a chimney fire

Vinyl siding is attractive, inexpensive, and easy to keep clean with a pressure washer--theoretically, anyway. Unfortunately, many homeowners find that their attempts to pressure-wash their vinyl siding don't go quite the way they had hoped. If the exterior of your home is in need of a good cleaning, read on. This article will present three tips for effectively cleaning vinyl siding with a pressure washer.

Make sure your pressure washer is powerful enough.

Many people struggle with dirt and stains that remain stubbornly clinging to their siding, no matter how many times they attack it with their power washer. If you have found yourself struggling with this problem, the answer may be that your power washer is simply not strong enough. This is especially true of electrically powered washers, which can't generate as much power as gasoline models.

Check the pressure rating of your washer. If it is less than 1300psi, consider upgrading to a more powerful machine. If you only make sporadic use of your washer, and investing in a new one simply isn't feasible, check with your local home improvement store to see whether you can rent one.

Start with a wide angle tip.

An underpowered washer is certainly frustrating. Yet one whose power is too great can be even more of a headache, if it ends up causing damage your siding. Be aware that, thanks to the incredible pressure of the water coming out of your washer, this is a real threat. Luckily, it's one that you can mitigate by using the proper spray tip.

What you need to realize is that the PSI of a washer isn't the only thing affecting the force of the water coming out of it. A narrow spray tip will concentrate the force of that water to a much smaller area. A spray tip with a wider angle, on the other hand, will distribute the pressure over a greater area, thus reducing the risk of unwanted damage. Select a spray tip with an angle of at least 60 degrees.

Cover nearby plants and shrubs with plastic dropcloth.

Your vinyl siding isn't the only thing you risk inadvertently damaging when you use a power washer. Shrubs, plantings, and flower beds are all highly vulnerable to the force generated by a pressure washer. And no matter how careful you are, sometimes being careful just isn't enough. To give your precious plants an extra defensive boost, consider covering them with a plastic painting dropcloth. This will help to keep you from accidentally stripping leaves and branches. Contact a company like Pressure Washing by Projects Restoration for more info or assistance.