Getting your house repainted is the best part of home improvement, and having your exterior walls cleaned is crucial. Do you know how dirty the outside of your house can get? That grime will cause your new paint to peel and bubble. We want you to have a great experience without any problems later down the road. Here is everything you need to know about preparing for that new coat of paint from our experts at Hughes Painting in Chesapeake VA!

Why Should I Hire a Professional Power Washing Company to Do My House?

Even quality exterior paints are no match for dirty surfaces. If you think your house is cleaner than most, then you’re probably right. The problem is that keeping your home’s exterior rinsed isn’t good enough to prepare it for exterior painting. Your garden hose just won’t cut it. Pressure washing services use high-pressure cleaning solutions to leave your property perfectly clean. The professionals know exactly where to focus on when cleaning, too. That means removing debris from your roofline and overhangs. It ensures that nothing is missed, so the exterior painting contractors can do their job as soon as they arrive. A dust-free exterior is essential for base coats to adhere properly to any material.

Do I need To Plan Ahead?

Your pressure washing service can be scheduled during any season. The weather doesn’t matter much. It can be a lot easier for a power washing contractor to work in rainy conditions. Surfaces that are already soaked are cleaned a lot faster. Concrete that’s been rained on for hours takes a lot less time to wash. Don’t worry about the weather on the day you schedule for pressure washing. What you should care about is having dry walls when the exterior painting contractors get there. It can take up to three sunny days to dry completely. If your property is unusually humid, then it can take up to a week to fully dry.

Damp surfaces are more likely to reject a new exterior painting. That’s why it’s very important to give moisture plenty of time to evaporate. Don’t worry about new dirt building up for those few days. Your painter will be sure to inspect the walls, and they’ll make sure that any loose paint is scraped.

When Will My Home Be Dry Enough To Paint?

If you still aren’t sure after a few days have passed, then you can try this simple trick. Grab about one square foot of plastic. Lay it flat against the wall that you think is still damp. Use strong tape to fix it to the surface. If you don’t see any condensation under it the next day, then it’s perfectly dry. Starting the exterior painting process will be a breeze!

What Should Be Pressure Washed?

The whole idea is to pressure wash starting from the highest points of your home. The worst parts are what you can’t see from the ground, and the biggest issue is loose debris. Small pieces of dirt can get knocked down during painting, and that adds a lot more work for the painter to correct. You want your property looking its best, and we want to keep the process as smooth as possible. Let’s go over what we recommend you should have pressure washed.

Dirty Gutters

Gutters are notorious for holding onto all kinds of dirt from the environment. We’re not just talking about leaves. Dirty gutters can promote the growth of mildew, and they can cause water damage by overflowing. You don’t want an uncleaned gutter to take years off the life of your new coat of paint, and you don’t want algae near spouts to peel your paint. Ask your pressure washing service professional to clean the whole exterior of your home for the best results. That means starting with the gutters.

Clean All Soffits

Soffits are important for allowing proper airflow, but they are a favorite nesting place for all types of invasive pests. Those insects leave behind a large amount of waste that can easily make its way onto your house during painting. Small birds can even claim areas around soffits as their home. A falling bird’s nest will get thrown all over wet paint. That can take a considerable amount of work to fix. It’s so much better to have your soffits pressure washed during the cleaning process.

Exterior Walls and What to Look Out For

Outside walls need to be exceptionally clean for painting, and it takes a lot of skill to get every section right. Most homeowners aren’t aware of how much skill it takes. A pressure washing expert knows to spray at the proper distance to avoid causing any damages to your home, and they will know how to deal with water damaged portions of your home. An expert will typically start from the top corner of a wall. A horizontal sweeping motion from wall to wall is the most efficient way to do it. Extra caution should be taken when pressure washing the bottom of exterior walls. Any rotten woods underneath siding can be irreparably damaged from high-pressure water. If you’re going to attempt to pressure wash your own home, then look out for signs of water damage. Swollen plywood is a big red-flag. Sunken nails are another sign of extensive rotting. You should avoid washing those areas, and you should consider having repairs completed before painting.

Cleaning Windows

Your windows go through a lot of dust, but they don’t get much attention when it comes to cleaning. Discolored trim around windows can be unsightly sitting next to fresh paint, and you’ll be able to notice dirty windows more against a new paint job. There’s isn’t much of a risk of debris falling from windows during painting, but there’s no reason to skip cleaning them. If you aren’t having the trim painted, then you should still plan on having them pressure washed. Doing it yourself can be tricky. You’ll need to stay at least three feet away from windows, and you’ll need to use lower pressure settings. If you are using a spray nozzle with a red-colored tip, then you need to stay at least six feet from the window.

The Paint Scraping Process

Pressure washing before scraping off the older paint is a good plan. It breaks off any loose chips, and it lets the exterior painting contractors know where to focus their attention. The worst spots are going to be more visible, and the deteriorated paint will be easier to scrape off. Just make sure you give the exterior enough days to dry. Moisture can make scraping a lot harder than it should be.

What’s the Next Step?

Any rough spots will need to be patched with a bonding agent, and bare wood needs to be coated with a premium exterior primer. This is to ensure the most even look after the work is done. The only thing left to do is let our team of professionals make your home look amazing with a brand-new paint job.

Freshen Up Your Whole Home

Pressure washing services aren’t just for your exterior walls. Virtually any part of your home can be cleaned. It can work wonders on discolored concrete patios, and it can even remove dirt stains from bricks that are decades old. Get your driveway cleaned while you’re at it, and your whole property will look fresh!

Should I Do It Myself?

Pressure washing on your own is a great idea for some homeowners, but it’s not the best choice for most. Equipment can be expensive and using a pressure washer is dangerous. We don’t recommend doing it yourself.

Hughes Painting of Virginia Beach VA: Satisfaction Guaranteed, Licensed, And Insured

We’ve served countless homeowners in the state of Virginia. If you are considering getting your home painted, then we’d be happy to help you through the process. Give us a call, and schedule with us today!