When you become a homeowner, you want to do everything in your power to keep it in great shape. No one enjoys performing regular maintenance, but doing so will prolong the lifespan of your home and make it more appealing to passersby. Of all the maintenance tasks you can undertake, power washing is one of the most effective ways to extend your home’s life, especially when done in conjunction with residential painting. Here’s why.
Power Washing Removes Dirt, Mold, and Mildew
The exterior of a home is like a person’s skin. Most people bathe or shower regularly to remove dirt, oil, and dead skin from their bodies. These sanitary efforts don’t just make a person feel and smell better, they’re also good for one’s health. Likewise, your home’s health depends on a good cleaning. Granted, houses don’t need washing nearly as often as humans. It takes some time for dirt, moisture, and other particles to coat a home’s skin. But, if left unchecked, mold and mildew can begin to form, quickly leading to additional problems.
By power washing your home even once a year, you can remove any mold or mildew that’s begun to form and prevent any more from infesting the exterior. If you notice these formations before your yearly wash, take care of them anyway. The longer you wait to eliminate mold and mildew, the more opportunity it has to cause rot and other damage.
Paint Adheres Better after Power Washing
We often think of paint as a merely aesthetic object. And, yes, we choose certain paint colors and finishes to yield a visual effect. However, house painting also serves another purpose: protecting your home’s exterior. To continue the skin analogy, think of exterior paint like sunscreen. It blocks some of the sun’s harmful rays and also prevents an excess of moisture from penetrating the surface.
What does this have to do with power washing? Well, exterior painters have a much harder time getting paint to adhere and dry properly on a dirty, uneven surface. This is why many painting services perform power washing before painting begins. By removing debris from the home’s exterior, proper power washing creates a more even surface where paint can stick directly to the home’s material.
Without power washing beforehand, paint is more likely to chip and peel over time. Not only does this look bad, but it also means that your home is less protected against further debris and damage. You’ll have to hire home painters more frequently to redo the paint job. Better to power wash your home first to ensure that the paint stays strong for several years to come.
Protection is the name of the game. Power washing your home every year is the first and most crucial step in keeping your home healthy. Doing so will get rid of any mold or mildew that’s begun to form and make further protection via paint more effective by creating a clean, flat surface. If you’re in need of power washing and/or exterior painting services, call All American Painting Plus at 703-620-5563 or email us at info@aapplus.com for more information!
