Pressure washing is a great way to clean off the dirt and grime from the surfaces of your home. A question we get at Harford Powerwashing, a power washing company in Harford County, is if winter is a good time to pressure wash your home. Well the answer to that question really depends on where you live. The answer is different when you compare cold weather and warm weather and the four seasons. Let’s take a look at what pressure washing during winter is like and if it’s ideal for you.
Can you pressure wash during winter?
Although it’s not impossible to power wash your home during the winter, we normally do not recommend it, especially in areas where freezing temperatures are highly prevalent. There are a couple reasons why winter isn’t ideal for pressure washing. For starters, water has a higher chance of freezing and with colder temperatures, this could be a headache to deal with. Freezing water in the pressure washer pump will cause it to expand and burst, thus damaging the machine and having it be replaced. Another reason why winter isn’t very ideal for pressure washing is that you put yourself or the one operating the washer at risk. Pressure washing your home requires you to be outside to get the job done.
What if I have to pressure wash during the winter?
You would want to avoid pressure washing during the winter season. However, if you are in need of a power wash, there are some precautions to take in order to minimize risk. First, make sure you’re bundled up because being outside in the cold for long hours unprepared can put you at risk of hypothermia and that’s never a fun thing to deal with. Ideally, you would want to avoid temperatures below 40 degrees fahrenheit to reduce the chance of damaging your pressure washer. Here are a couple tips and tricks that can help you take on the winter cold and keep you home looking nice and pretty.
Use hot water
The biggest risk with power washing in winter is freezing pipes and surfaces. Luckily, you can fix this with some nice hot water. You should aim for the hot water to be between 180 to 200 degrees fahrenheit. If you’re worried about the water being hot enough to solve the issue, a good tip would be to see any signs of evaporation. If you see it , then your machine should be good to go and the risk of freezing shouldn’t be much of a problem.
Do it in the sun
The sun is your best friend when it gets cold outside. Make sure you are under direct sunlight when using the pressure washer and avoid the shade. The idea behind this is that you want the pressure washer to get as much sunlight as possible to avoid freezing. It’ll work even better if you decide to pressure wash your home during the afternoon, where temperatures are at its peak.
Protect the machine
Making sure the pressure washer is warm and dry should be a top priority when power washing in winter. Make sure you thaw out any ice on the machine and try to minimize contact with snow or water in cold temperatures to reduce the chance of freezing. Make sure the fittings and lines stay warm and dry as well before you use the pressure washer.
When should you pressure wash your home?
Ideally, you would want to pressure wash your home between the months of March and November. Winter weather is much less of an issue during this time frame but it varies depending where you live. If you live in a warmer area, cold weather wouldn’t be as much of an issue, so pressure washing your home can happen whenever you want. An ideal day for pressure washing would be on a clear day under moderately warm temperatures. You wouldn’t want to wash your home on a rainy day or when there’s high winds for obvious reasons.
Ready to power wash you home?
Harford Powerwashing is a family-owned and operated company, whose mission is to treat each customer with respect and provide superior quality power washing services. We have years of experience in the field, and we are always working towards learning more so we can bring you the best. Our team of highly trained professionals are here for you and your home/business. Let’s do some pressure washing in Harford County!
Call us today at 443-206-4971 for a free estimate or you can email us at harfordpowerwashing@yahoo.com