Pressure washing can be enormously effective at cleaning a residential property. In fact, residential pressure washing can revolutionize the appearance of a building by clearing away debris and stains. 

However, pressure washing can also do damage if it is not performed properly. The following are four mistakes to avoid when you pressure wash your home:

Neglecting to protect items that could be damaged during pressure washing

One of the most important things you need to do is secure any fragile items and close windows to protect your home's interiors from damage from pressure washing.

You should protect not only your home itself, but also any landscaping features, vehicles, or others fixtures surrounding your home. It's best to ask your pressure washing service provider for advice on what exactly you need to do to prepare your home before pressure washing day. 

Trying too hard to remove stains

During pressure washing, it's not uncommon for homeowners to overdo it with raising the pressure in their eagerness to remove stains and debris from their homes.

However, it's always a good idea to avoid higher pressure settings as much as possible. Pressures that are too high can damage the siding or roofing on a home. This could cause pressure washing to do more harm than good.

It's a good idea to familiarize yourself with the materials of which your home's walls are constructed to determine exactly what pressure settings they can tolerate before you have your home pressure washed.

Using a pressure washer with the incorrect water flow rate

A lot of people focus too much on the psi of their pressure washing equipment and not enough on the water flow rate in gallons per minute. The water flow rate determines how much water is getting projected onto the home, not just what pressure water hits the home at. 

If a cleaning solution is being shot out of the pressure washer, it's important to note that the flow rate may be different because of varying viscosities and densities between water and the cleaning solution being used. 

Pressure washing in a situation where it will be ineffective

It's important to carefully analyze the problems with a home's appearance before deciding on pressure washing as the solution. 

If a home's paint has peeled off, pressure washing isn't going to do anything and could cause far more harm than good. Take the time to analyze issues like discoloration, debris accumulation, and damage to a home's siding or exterior walls.  

Make sure pressure washing is going to make a difference before trying it on your home.