You can power wash concrete all year as long as the temperature is about 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Most homeowners and businesses prefer to do it in the spring or summer to reduce the spread and growth of algae and mold. It also reduces pollen, which can affect allergies.
Experts agree that spring or fall is the best time to pressure or power wash your house. The goal is to avoid cleaning when the temperature is too cold or hot. The best practice is to ensure that you pressure wash your home once per year between March and November when the temperatures are not extreme.
Spring and summer are the best seasons to pressure wash patios. The beginning of spring is a great time to jet wash your patio – the temperatures started to rise slightly, so there will not be any unpleasantness of pressure washing in the cold and you won't run the risk of water freezing.
Concrete Driveways: As long as the concrete is pressure washed above 35 degrees and the water has dried before any freezing temperatures arrive, there will be no freezing problems. Even in cold climates, there are moderate temperatures on certain days in the winter.
You can pressure wash during the summer and spring, but fall is a fantastic time to take care of dirt and debris with a blast of high-pressure water. Most people associate summer with BBQs, trips to the beach and playing flashlight tag after dark.
Changing temperatures, ice, and snow can impact various building materials. If you live in a climate that has harsh, cold winters then you may want to pressure wash the home twice a year, before and after the winter. Pressure washing can help prepare the home for winter and then refresh it after months of bad weather.
You want the temperature to be between 50 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit when you pressure wash. If it's too cold, the water can freeze on contact and damage your home. If it's too hot, or if you are under extreme temperatures warnings you shouldn't power wash.
Obviously without proper knowledge or care power washing any surface will lead to damaging it, and concrete is no exception. Despite being one of the more tougher building materials, adverse weather and time will take its toll on any surface.
But, if you must do it during the wintertime, make sure to avoid temperatures below 40 degrees. If the temperature is too cold, it could damage your pressure washer, put you at risk, and freeze the surfaces you wash. Thus, during colder months, it is best to wait until the afternoon to pressure wash your house.
Generally, you'll want your concrete driveway pressure washed at least once a year. This lets you treat sunbaked dirt, grime buildup, and stubborn oil stains, making regular cleaning in between professional washes much more manageable. Of course, you can always schedule extra pressure washing services as needed.
An effective pressure wash cleans the pores of your concrete. Make sure to apply concrete sealer after pressure washing.
If the conditions aren't generally safe outside, then we'll probably recommend rescheduling. However, with light rain and/or the occasion showers in the forecast, we can definitely continue. In situations where we have torrential downpours, high winds, lightning, and/or hurricane conditions, power washing can wait.
Rain keeps the drying time manageable for high pressure washing. On a 35oC day, if you pour a bucket of water on your driveway, it's going to evaporate quite quickly. On a cloudy day, this water is going to take a much longer time to evaporate.
If you have an average 2,000 sq ft house, you can expect pressure washing it to take between two and four hours. A smaller home will go quicker, and a larger one will take longer.
Yes, you can pressure wash your property or equipment out of season. Just be aware that there may be some challenges or limitations depending on the weather conditions and the type of surface being cleaned. For example, you're going to have a hard time pressure washing concrete when it's frozen!
Done effectively, pressure washing can be done year-round. No matter what the weather, you may need your pressure washer for your cleaning and maintenance needs. However, pressure washing during winter can present some unique challenges. Snow-covered roads may coat your fleet vehicles with dirt, ice, sand, and salt.
Even on low settings, pressure washers can get under your paint or find a chip, opening wider damage. Don't Get Too Close: Stay at least 6 inches away from whatever you're cleaning. If that's not close enough to remove damage, then you need to use a stronger intensity – not get closer.
For much of the U.S., the winter months are accompanied by cold weather and freezing temperatures, bringing a halt or significantly slow down to many pressure washer operations.
Keep it Warm
You'll want to store your pressure washer in a place that won't reach freezing temperatures. Unless you've run pump saver through it, your pressure washer pump could freeze and crack if left where temperatures drop below freezing.
Applying a degreaser will loosen stains in the concrete, allowing you to pressure wash them away. Some pressure washers have an attachment tool for applying degreaser. Otherwise, scrub the degreaser into the concrete with a stiff-bristled brush or push broom.
Not only do you have extra time, but the warm weather is also ideal for any kind of work involving water. The job will refresh both you and your home, and you'll reveal cleaner, more attractive walls and windows afterward. Pressure washing in the summer months means your hard work can last longer.
Heavy-duty tasks like stripping paint or removing graffiti require 2,800 psi or higher and a gpm of 3 to 4 (8,400+ ECUs). Commercial-grade pressure washers, intended for regular use and built and powered accordingly, start at 3,100 psi.