Does the brick on the outside of your home look drab and dingy? When you pull into your driveway are you disappointed in the appearance of your home? If you answered yes to one of the questions above, don’t worry. With a little bit of time and a quality pressure washer, your brick house can look as good as new. Take a peek below at at our six tips and ensure a quality pressure wash for your brick home.
1. Inspect The Bricks:
If you are ready to power wash the exterior brick of your home, the first thing you must do is scrutinize it. Over time, mortar (the glue that holds your brick in place) can erode and chip away. There may be spaces between bricks that need to be filled prior to cleaning. In fact, you should patch the damaged spots at least a full week (seven days) prior to power washing. By making sure the mortar is in top notch condition, you can protect against water entry and prevent mold from growing inside the walls of your home.
2. Prepare To Wash:
After waiting a week for everything to dry completely, it’s ALMOST time to get to work. First, though, you must take some time to prepare your home for this project. So, make sure all of your doors and windows are tightly shut - you don’t want to start washing and inadvertently spray inside your living room! Also, protect your plants by covering all outdoor landscaping with a tarp. You should also take a few minutes to move your patio furniture or cover it as well.
3. Test The Power Washer:
Before you turn the washer full-force on your brick, test it on a smaller, hidden portion of your home. Make sure the pressure is strong enough to clean the brick, but not so strong as to cause damage.
4. Wet The House:
Prior to power washing, it is important to prepare the brick by wetting it with just water (No detergent yet). Make sure you completely soak the entire area. When you do this, spray the water from the bottom to the top. This will prevent streaks while ensuring all of the walls are truly wet.
5. Wash the Walls:
If you are using detergent, NOW is the time to apply it. It is important to use a product that was made for exterior brick AND your equipment, not just any old soap! Once again, begin spraying from the bottom to the top! Once applied, give the soap a chance work - let it rest for about 10 minutes. During this time dirt and debris will loosen and become easier to remove. Do you see any tough stains? If so, this is the perfect time to use a little elbow grease and scrub them away! Pay special attention to where grass or landscaping touch the home - these locations are often a little more dirty!
6. Time to Rinse:
Once you have let the soap sit and scrubbed away the tough stains, it’s time to wash away the soap. First, completely rinse out your power washer, make sure it is clean and that the water you are going to spray is free of all soapy residue. You want to rinse with perfectly clear water. When this is the case, spray away! This time work from the top down, rising as you go. Dirt and soap will drip downward and you can wash it away as it does.
Think it’s time to clean your exterior brick walls? If so, consider the purchase of a power washer. This is the perfect time to buy one! Give us a call! At PSI we sell a broad range of quality power and pressure washers and can help you determine the best product to meet your needs! We look forward to working with you!
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