In this article, I will go over the benefits of using a pressure washer. I have a friend who owns a pressure/power washing business, we met on a job where I did the pest control.
The customer whose home we both treated had really bad spiders and every time I would visit the webs would just pile on everywhere.
They also had really bad wasp nests throughout the spring and summer months. After we treated the home we both left and I didn’t think about it until the next visit.
When I went out to do the next treatment I was shocked at how little spider webs they had on their home, and they had no wasps nests either.
So, between his treatment and mine, it gave me great respect for the cleanliness and renewal of the outside of a home.
So does pressure washing my house help with pest control? Yes, it does. If you pressure/power wash your home it will remove mildew, molds, algae, gloeocapsa magma (a form of bacteria), pest pheromones, and will bring your home back to a new-like state. This is good to do right before a pest application because you will have a good barrier on a clean home, giving it the ultimate protection.
I want to say if you or your pest person put out a chemical barrier and you power wash/pressure wash after the treatment, that is not a good thing if you are still having issues with pests. You will want to re-apply a pesticide after pressure washing if this is your situation.
I will go into more detail about the benefits of pressure washing and the benefits of pest control after pressure/power washing.
Will Pressure Washing My Home Replace Doing Pest Control?
Pressure washing is a great practice just like cleaning your home on the inside helps keep unwanted pests out the same can be said about cleaning the outer part of your home.
To answer the question will pressure washing my home replace doing pest control? No, although I believe it does help and it makes it easier to control pest issues, I know that it won’t replace putting out a barrier for bugs.
It really depends on the home and its independent ecosystem. If your home is in an area that is prone to certain bugs and wildlife you will still see those things periodically if your home is not properly treated to keep that particular pest away.
Don’t get me wrong pressure washing your home is a great thing to do and I do advocate for pressure washing. It removes allergens, molds, and pheromones that are left on your home. The outside elements can be brutal on a home.
How Often Should I Pressure Wash?
I recommend pressure washing your home 2 times a year. The best time to pressure wash is in the spring, and again in the fall. The reason I suggest these times is because of the times that swarming pests come in and overwinter.
Some swarmer examples would be Stink Bugs, Box Elder Bugs, and Ladybugs. All these bugs look for homes and buildings and homes to stay in once the fall hits and they come out in the springtime and will be all over your home at those times.
When you power wash or pressure wash your home regularly
What Are Some Benefits Of Pressure Washing?
The nice thing about pressure washing your home is that you are cleaning off the pheromones that the previous season of bugs have left behind.
If you get wasps or hornets nests on your home or you get bad spiders webbing all-around pressure washing will clean the slate.
Another benefit of pressure washing is that you will get
What Should I Avoid When Pressure Washing My Home?
It is important to avoid some things when you are pressure washing your home.
- Sconce Lights and Electrical Panels- The last thing you want to do is to blow a fuse or start a fire from spraying inside or near these things. I would avoid anything electrical when pressure washing your home.
- Air Conditioning Units- As I mentioned above you want to avoid anything electrical, I also feel I need to mention that you should avoid air conditioners because of the sensitive flaps that they have on the outside of them, these flaps help the machine to breathe and when they are bent or damaged it can make it where your unit won’t last as long.
- Windows- High Pressured water can break window panes not to mention it can destroy the sealing caulk in the windows as well.
- Lead Paint- Unless you are wearing the protective gear or you plan to remove it all together I would recommend not spraying lead-based paint. Here is a lead paint safety downloadable document from the EPA.
If you avoid these main things when treating your home you should be good to go.
Will Pressure Washing Damage My Home?
I will say you can damage your home when pressure washing. If you have vinyl siding and you have too much pressure and you hold the wand too close to the area you are cleaning you could potentially damage that area.
So your technique will play a large part in whether you will damage your home or not.
If you hold the wand on the same place for too long or you turn the pressure up too high
I believe that pressure washing is good for your home and I clean mine 2 times a year.
New Soft Wash Technology (power washing)
Soft Wash Technology is actually not new it has been around since 2007 and has revolutionized the power washing industry. This technology of soft detergents and brisk pressure clean your home in an environmentally safe way and it in many cases does a better job than traditional pressure washing.
Don’t get me wrong pressure washing still has its place, however, if you want to get rid of all the growing molds and bacteria soft washing is the way to go.
I know a few things about mold spores and though cleaning your home with a pressure washer looks good and definitely makes a difference, you can’t get rid of the mold completely without using a detergent to kill all the bacteria.
As far as detergents that you can buy there are many out there that work well, but If you are wanting to do this on your own I would recommend getting one that has chlorine in it. This will help give your home that ultra-clean that you are looking for.
I mentioned above that pressure washing still has its place, and that is true. There are places that are stubborn that will require using the pressure to get rid of old stains like rust and caked-on algae. Driveways, sidewalks, decking, and fences may still need a pressure washer to give you that bright new look that you want to have in those areas.
Pest Control
Without Pressure/Power Washing
Pest control can work whether you decide to pressure wash your home or not, however, if you were to only apply a pesticide to the exterior of your home you may run into a few problems like:
Your chemical may have a quicker breakdown because of the existing things that are still on the home. Pesticides do have a residual barrier that lasts an extended period of time, but they will not kill mold, algae, and bacteria.
Brushing down spider webs and sweeping out and keeping decking and other areas brushed will help keep these areas protected from bugs and stinging insects. Here is a review I wrote about the best cobweb duster.
Pest Control can work without a pressure/power washer, I do it for customers all the time that don’t get their homes cleaned at all. I will say it is a constant battle as a pest guy cleaning off all the things that build up on those homes.
With Pressure/Power Washing
When you decide to treat your home to a little bath to get it cleany clean, this is the best possible scenario after your home has been cleaned you will see the very best results of a pesticide application. You have now removed all the molds, bacteria, and algae and moss off your home that will give your home a great canvas for the pesticide. The pesticide I recommend on the outside of your home is called Talstar P (check it out on my recommended products page). Talstar P lasts about 30 days, you can apply it with a spray can to the exterior of your home along the foundation, around all windows, doors, eaves, soffits, and downspouts. After you apply Talstar P allow it about an hour to dry before going back to life as usual.
Whether you decide to pressure wash your home or not I know for a fact that cleaning your home before you apply the pest control is the best practice.
*Read to the bottom to see my posts of interest.
If You Live In The Piedmont Triad Area In North Carolina
I am going to make a recommendation here, and I usually don’t do these things, however, this is a circumstance where this company is very reputable and the service and prices are unmatched.
For all your power/pressure washing needs I recommend the company, Sensational Shine. Owner: Phillip Gouker has a great track record and will give you the service you want and deserve at a very affordable price.
Fun Fact: The technology that Sensational Shine uses is the soft wash technology I told you about earlier. With light detergents and a little pressure, Sensational Shine will remove the algae and the bacteria that thrive in the moist climatic areas we live in.
Here are the services they offer:
- Roof Cleaning
- Driveway, Sidewalk, and Patio Cleaning
- Deck and Fence Cleaning
- Home Washing
You can get in touch with sensational shine by heading to their website http://sensationalshine.com
Or
Contact Phillip Yourself
Summary
Pressure/Power washing your home goes hand in hand with pest control. So, clean your home twice a year and the results will be amazing and you will prolong the life of your shingles and siding by doing it. You can do pest control yourself with the right chemicals and a little bit of information on where to apply it.
Posts of Interest
What Time Of Year Do Spiders Lay Eggs?
I have always wondered about this even before I became a pest exterminator.
What time of year do spiders lay their eggs? The brief answer is spider multiply all year. Even though they will appear less active in the winter and fall they will still mate, lay eggs and feed.
Steps To Picking The Right Pest Control Company
The purpose of this article is to help you know all the fine details on what to look for and how to go about finding a pest company that fits your needs.
So how do you pick the right pest control company? Picking the right pest company will require you and the pest company to have an understanding of what they offer and what you will expect. So, make sure to have them answer all your questions or concerns that you have while adhering to their requests so that your treatments are the best.
