Power washing can be a great way to clean off the side of your home and get it to look as good as new. While you are power washing the home, you may take a look at the deck and notice that it is pretty dirty and you need to do some work on this as well. This can bring up the question, does power washing causes damage to the deck or not.
Power washing does have the potential to cause damage to the deck, according to a local company that handles power washing in Clearwater (https://clearwaterpressurewashingandroofcleaning.com/). Wood does not like the hard pressure that comes with power washing and it can ruin PVC as well. There are other methods that you can use, but if you do want to get a power washing done on the deck, it is best to hire a professional to take a look at it and do it the right way.
Let’s take a closer look at some of the issues that power washing can cause to your deck and the best ways to avoid this.
Will Power Washing Damage My Deck?
Wood decks can be very vulnerable to power washing because some of the pressure that we see with a power washer is going to lead to splintering if you do it too often. If there is an area on your deck that you can see the wood splitting apart already, power washing will just make the problem worse and it can slowly start to ruin the whole deck.
While wood is the one you really need to watch out for, wood is not the only decking material that you can damage permanently with a power washer. Some of the other soft materials that you will use on the deck, such as PVC, will be engraved by a power washer if the pressure is set to be too high.
It is also a bad idea to work with a power washer on a composite deck. The reason for this is that the power washer can take chips out of the composite material.
When you do see some damage due to the pressure washer, it is often not going to be covered by the warranty that comes with the composite deck.
This means that if the damage gets bad on the deck because you did some power washing, you will be the one responsible for paying to get that deck fixed, no matter how new the deck is.
When is Power Washing Good for My Deck?
There are a few times when doing a quick power wash can be good for the deck. One of these is when the deck is made out of ASA because it is more forgiving when you use the power washer.
Wood and composite decks can be cleaned in this way on a rare occasion, but you should consider hiring a professional to do the work to make sure it gets done well.
When you are choosing a professional to help with power washing your deck, do not just pick the first person you find.
Choose someone who not only has experience with power washing but who has experience power washing a deck. They will need to use a lower pressure setting on the power washer and need to be efficient to get it done. Only do this on occasion to help clean the deck without ruining it.
How to Clean the Deck without Power Washing
While power washing can cause some issues to the wood or PVC deck that you designed, there are other methods you can use to get it all cleaned. You should start by clearing off the outdoor furniture and any accessories that are there. Then sweep away the debris from the deck so that nothing is left behind.
When the deck is nice and clean, you will be able to use some water, a cleaning solution, and a bristle brush. Take some time to test the area, usually in a corner in case things go wrong, to see how well the solution will work in that corner.
If it works and does not leave a stain, then you can start to scrub the entire deck. Rinse it off with a hose and then give it time to dry before adding all of the furniture and anything else back on the deck. This method uses more elbow grease, but it can efficiently get the deck clean.
Keeping the Deck Clean
No matter what materials you decide to use on your deck, it is a good idea to get it cleaned off and looking as good as new. While power washing may not be the best option for a lot of the things that you would like to get done, it can be an efficient method to clean up on a rare occasion.
If you are worried about the health of your deck, then using methods that are gentle can be a better option.
