Soft Wash vs High Pressure Washing

Standard high-pressure washes can chip soft brick, dent aluminum siding, loosen roofing tiles, and shatter windows!

Soft washing uses special detergents that loosen dirt and grime so that debris can be rinsed away with extremely low water pressure. These detergents dissolve caked-on dirt that other residential power washing systems miss, or would otherwise require strong water pressure to clean away. As such, your home’s exterior surfaces are spotlessly clean and free of damage!

Virtually any surface can be soft washed!

What should be soft washed:

    Homes

    Most Decks

    Roofs

    Pavers with grout

    Gutter Faces, Soffits, & Overhangs

 What should be pressure washed:

    Concrete   

 

(1) Windows & Glass

Window cleaning involves the application of special surfactants that gently dissolve dirt, dust, cobwebs, and other debris on window surfaces. Glass is then cleaned by hand yielding superior results vs poles, pressure washing or other inferior techniques.  Your home’s windows are then clean and streak-free.

Having glass & windows cleaned regularly is one of the most important things that you can do to make sure that your windows have a long life. Oxidation, hard water and acid rain can damage your windows.  Windows are more efficient when they are cleaned annually at a minimum. Frame weathering and oxidation can cause water and air leaks.

(2) Driveways, Concrete, and Pavers

Routine driveway washing does more than keep a home’s driveway and walkways clean and presentable. Utilizing Dr Windows to clean concrete, stone, and asphalt on your property prolongs the life of these surfaces, resulting in fewer repairs and replacement costs over time.  Automotive fluids, salt and other snow-removing chemicals, leaves, twigs, grass clippings, fertilizer and weed killers used on your property’s lawn all break down concrete and asphalt. In turn, these surfaces begin to crack and chip and develop potholes. Professional washing will remove all debris, protecting your property’s concrete and asphalt surfaces from premature damage.

Driveways & walkways are better rough than polished as a rough surface maintains friction reducing slips and falls. Deposits of fungus, dust, algae, moss and grease on the surface reduces friction, which can be dangerous for people utilizing these surfaces. Pressure washing removes surface deposits of oil and grease content from the surface and helps surfaces retain their original consistency and friction.

(3) Gutters

When gutters are clogged, rainwater runs over their sides and down exterior walls of a home, collecting around a structure’s foundation. This can easily lead to water damage to your home and property.  Additionally, clogged gutters can foster development of ice dams on your winter roof.  These ice dams can prove costly to homeowners as damage often occurs.  Removes leaves, twigs, pine needles, any/all biological items that nature throws in your gutters.*  Your home’s gutters will be free of clogs and buildup, and your home protected from water leaks and a cracked foundation! 

Cleanout removes leaves, twigs, pine needles, any/all biological items that nature throws in your gutters 32 feet tall or less, not granules of asphalt. IF you have scheduled gutter cleanout when nights are below 40 degrees, you are accepting the strong possibility that the gutter bottoms will be frozen and not all debris will remove. If you have gutter guards, we clean off the tops of them and do NOT take gutter guards apart or clean under them.  If you require gutter guards taken apart, your gutter guards by definition are failing and you need a gutter repair company.  Detached garages and/or buildings not included unless you have received separate quote.

Gutter cleanout benefits:

Prevent Roof Damage

When leaves and other debris clog your gutters to the point that water is flooding over, you'll have issues with rot on your roofing.  This is one reason to keep your gutters clean and flowing.

Keep Out Pests

Clogged gutters can be appealing to a number of critters as a nesting site. From birds to mosquitoes, a bed of damp leaves can be alluring.

Damage to Fascia

The fascia is that board that runs right behind your gutter. Overflowing water can damage this important component of your gutter system.

Overwatering Garden Beds

If your gutters become clogged to the point that water is spilling over the side and into your garden beds, you can damage your plants' health by essentially drowning them. Overwatering can be as harmful as not watering enough.

Cracks in Foundation

If water overflows and pools along a home's foundation, it can end up freezing, which can cause it to expand and generate cracks in your foundation.

Damage to Brackets

Clogged gutters hold too much weight, which can result in damage to the brackets.

 

Gutter Face Cleaning

 

(4) Home Soft Wash

Regular exterior house cleaning is just as crucial for maintaining your home’s overall condition as cleaning its interior! Outside house cleaning of your home will remove damaging residue from exterior walls, and from driveway and walkways (If those are selected). Professional exterior house cleaning services protect those surfaces from damage while enhancing your property’s overall curb appeal.

Power and pressure washing are effective at removing caked-on mud and grime from a home, but these methods of exterior house cleaning are not without risks. Extremely hot water can dry out wood decks and fences, causing them to shrink and warp. High-pressure cleaning can also chip brick, dent aluminum siding, loosen roofing tiles, and shatter a window!

Soft wash exterior cleaning begins with an application of special detergents and solvents that penetrate dirt and grime. Low pressure is used to rinse these mixtures away. Soft Washing thoroughly cleans every inch of your home’s exterior without damaging surfaces.

Routine home washing prevents damage caused by dust, dirt, silt, grit, salt from snow clearing, and acid rain. All this damaging debris settles onto a home’s exterior walls over the years causing exterior brick walls and grout to get soft and crumbly.

Soft Home Wash is perfect for removing all surface dirt, mold, mildew, pollen, algae, etc.  It can not solve siding that looks 'chalky' as that is a sign of siding that has aged and is failing.  Nor can soft wash (or any wash) remove anything that has chemically leached into the siding (siding is porous).

Home Washing prevents costly repairs

Built up dirt and grime doesn’t just make your home look worn; it can actually cause damage and that can cost you thousands in repairs. Mold, mildew, algae and even dirt can all infiltrate the wood in your home and cause serious structural damage. Also, a dirty house invites insects to intrude. But that’s not all. Exposure to the elements (rain, wind and sun) oxidizes over time, leaving your house vulnerable to all sorts of problems. A Home Wash can help stave off problems and help prevent maintenance problems in the future.

Home Washing promotes a healthier environment

If anyone in your family suffers from allergies, a good cleaning can help get rid of the things causing all of that wheezing and sneezing. Anytime you can get rid of allergens on the exterior of your home; you make it less likely that they will get inside where they can wreak havoc on your family’s health.

Home Washing removes pollutants

Our environment is full of pollutants: acid rain; bird excrement; smoke, and more.  All of these things can settle on the surface of your home’s exterior, putting you at risk of contamination.  Home Washing helps clean away pollutants.

 

(5) Deck Wash

A Clean Deck Increases Your Property Value

A deck is one of those things that can make or break your property value. Their presence alone is, generally speaking, enough to send your property value higher. But if your deck is dirty and covered in many unsightly growths, then you’ll have quite a hard time trying to reap your property’s full value.

If your deck has reached a sad condition, then just get professional deck cleaning! Pressure/Soft Washing (depending on deck material) your deck will have it looking like brand new once more, helping to make your property just as valuable as you want it to be!

Better Health

The most obvious and most unsightly thing that can occur on a weather-beaten deck is algae and mold growth. Of course, once those appear, aesthetics will be the LEAST of your worries. After all, in that situation, you’d also find yourself dealing with some HEALTH issues.

Mold and algae development can compromise your health. Should those have developed on your deck, you don’t have to live with compromised health. Simply have Dr Windows wash your deck and knock away those growths and help preserve your health!

Longer Lifespan 

Like any component that makes up your home, you deck won’t last forever. Unfortunately for your deck, all those growths and other unsightly results of living outside can lead it to its inevitable end quickly.

You can delay this process, though. And just like you’d expect, you can do so by calling for deck cleaning services! With professional washing, you can have those harmful growths blasted away and, thus, help to preserve the life of your much-loved and MUCH-used deck for many more years to come!

Deck washes include the surfaces of the deck you walk on - spindles, rails, etc not included unless specifically asked for and/or quoted:)

 

(6) Roof Soft Wash/Treatment

Roof pressure washing can dislodge twigs, seeds, leaves, and other debris from under shingles and tiles, but a high-pressure roof power washing can also damage those shingles, even blowing them right off the roof! A soft wash roof cleaning & treatment uses high-quality detergents and surfactants to dissolve dirt and debris, kill biologics over the next 4-6 weeks after application, avoiding water pressure to rinse away waste, so that roofing shingles don’t get dislodged or otherwise damaged.

A soft wash roof cleaning/treatment is also best for older roofs, or those with damaged or brittle tiles and shingles. A high-pressure wash, or scraping a roof with a stiff-bristled brush, can damage those weakened tiles, causing them to become thin and crumbly. Thin, worn, or crumbly roofing tiles increases the risk of water leaks into the home, and also means losing more heat and air conditioning through the roof, causing your utility bills to spike!

Moss, algae, mold, and mildew can grow between roofing tiles, causing those shingles to become loose, so they’re more likely to blow away in a storm. A high-pressure roof cleaning may not effectively remove this debris, as pressurized water only blows away their vegetation, without killing their spores!

Soft wash roof cleaning/treatment chemicals are designed to kill & remove biological materials, including the spores of moss, algae, and other such contaminants. Having a soft wash roof cleaning for your home means less risk of that moss, algae, mold, mildew, and other irritants growing back over the years.  Treatment is applied and over next 4-6 weeks, biologics die, roots decay and loosen from shingles, etc and are washed away with normal rainfalls.  SO MUCH better than some high pressure washing a roof trying to blow ay biologics while degrading your shingles!

If areas of your roof have biologics over 1/2 inch thick, an additional treatment may be necessary.

HELPS YOUR ROOF LOOK NEW AND CLEAN

When you have your roof cleaned, it helps to remove the dirt, grime and residue that can build up on your roof and age it. Many people do not realize just how dirty and worn their roof looks until it is clean. Having your roof look new and clean can boost your home’s curb appeal and its value. This is especially valuable if you are considering selling your home or having your home appraised.

PROTECTS THE LIFESPAN OF YOUR ROOF

Not every roof has the same exact lifespan. This is because there are many factors that affect the lifespan of a roof, including the material the roof is made from, the conditions the roof is subjected to and how well maintained the roof is. Taking the time to have your roof cleaned routinely can help to increase the lifespan of your roof. Roofs are not inexpensive, so doing what you can to help it last can save you money in the long run.

LESS EXPENSIVE THAN REPLACING THE ROOF

If your roof is looking worn and run down, you may think that replacing it is the only option you have for making it look good again. But this is not the case. When your roof is cleaned, many of the stains that are present on a roof can be removed. This includes stains caused by algae, mildew, dirt and even sun exposure. Cleaning a roof is drastically less expensive than replacing it, so cleaning should always be attempted on a roof with only cosmetic issues.

HELPS TO MEET INSURANCE AND WARRANTY REQUIREMENTS

The last reason why you should regularly have your roof cleaned is that it helps you to meet insurance and warranty requirements. Your home insurance and roof warranties require you to perform routine maintenance on your roof. If you fail to do so, the home insurance and roof warranty companies may not be responsible for the damage. Cleaning is a part of routine maintenance, so it helps you to meet this requirement.