Some surfaces are harder to wash than others. Stucco is one of them. If you’re deciding whether you should pressure wash your stucco walls yourself or call in a service, keep these three things in mind:
1. Stucco needs precise PSI.
Every surface has an ideal range of PSI, or pressure per square inch, for pressure washing. Undamaged concrete can stand up to harder PSIs, and light pressure might not be enough to push out stains. Shingled roofs, on the other hand, need a soft wash to come out of the process unscathed. Stucco is somewhere in the middle.
It needs between 1,500 and 2,500 PSI. This can change if the stucco is old, damaged, or particularly textured. You also need a much lower PSI for an initial round of soap. Professional companies know how to test for the right PSI and leave your surfaces undamaged.
2. The wrong chemicals can damage stucco.
Stucco isn’t just vulnerable to physical damage. Using the wrong cleaners or chemicals that are too harsh is just as bad. Rust, oil, and any dirt deep in the cracks each need specific detergents to deal with the stain. Just washing the wall with pressure alone gets the job halfway done and leaves the wall dim. Using the wrong chemicals, or leaving them on the wall too long, can discolor or weaken the material.
3. What’s surrounding the stucco surface?
Whenever you’re pressure washing, especially with cleaning surfaces. Sometimes it’s concrete, which can absorb the chemical runoff and hold onto new stains. Sometimes it’s landscaping, which is even worse. The chemicals and high-pressure water can kill or unearth plants. You have to protect all of these surfaces before you get started.
Each of these considerations mean a lot of extra work and plenty of room for error. Instead of handling it on your own, contact our team at 214 Pressure Washing. We can clean your stucco and other surfaces.