PRESSURE WASHING

Pressure washing, also known as power washing, is a great way to clean exterior structures such as decks, cement, siding and patios. Many homeowners purchase pressure washers from their local hardware store and try to tackle cleaning projects on their own. However, your house, deck or cement should be cleaned by a trained professional using commercial grade equipment.  Alltimate Painting services has been pressure washing homes, decks and patios since 1997. To receive an estimate call 612-298-2244 or fill out our contact form.

Pressure washing equipment

The main factor to look at is how many cleaning units the pressure washer has.  This can be calculated by multiplying the GPM (gallons per minute) by the pressure per square inch (PSI).  Homeowners who purchase pressure washers typically use the variety with 1600 PSI and 1.5 GPM or 2400 cleaning units.  Alltimate Painting uses a pressure washer that operates at 3300 PSI and 3 GPM or 9900 cleaning units. 

The more cleaning units you have the more effective you will be in your efforts to clean larger projects.

Pressure washing spray tips

As you can see in the picture above there are four basic spray tips.  These tips not only adjust the fan width from 0 degrees to 40 degrees but also adjust the amount of pressure and GPM released from the nozzle. With zero degrees you are going to get the highest amount of pressure but a reduction in GPM.  With the 40 degree tip you get lower pressure but higher GPM. 

Either tip will effectively have the same amount of cleaning units. When using a pressure washer that is capable of producing over 2400 PSI it’s best to use 25 to 40 degree tips when cleaning natural wood. Alltimate Painting has been using this practice with exceptional results for cleaning natural wood and leaving it undamaged.

Cleaning solutions

Cleaning solutions in combination with pressure washers are the most effective way to remove mildew and dirt. Depending on the type of project we’re working on, chemicals will either be applied by injection through our pressure washer or with pump sprayers. When cleaning a deck or natural wood you have three basic chemicals used in wood cleaning products.

• Sodium Hypochlorite: Also known as bleach.  This is good for removing mildew but not very effective at cleaning dirt
• Sodium Percarbonate: This cleaner is effective at cleaning mildew and dirt. When mixed with water it forms hydrogen peroxide (oxygen based bleach) and sodium carbonate.
• Oxalic Acid: This is a great chemical for cleaning up brown and black tannin stains that happens most often on cedar and redwood decks. This chemical is used often times in deck brighteners. It doesn’t however clean mildew very well.

Free Pressure Washing Quote

If your home, driveway, deck or other surface around your home or business needs to be pressure washed, Alltimate Painting can take care of the task for you. Call us at 612-298-2244 to schedule an evaluation and receive a free estimate. We have the equipment, the specialists and the experience required to ensure the job is done right.