Do you have a pressure washing project coming up in the near future? If so, you have a lot of planning ahead to do. Doing this work isn’t easy, and all it takes is one wrong move to cause property damage. In fact, carelessness could even lead to injury—and that will land you in the lobby of an urgent care office. Obviously, you don’t want this to happen, so review these pressure washing safety tips and put them into practice!
At Southeast Indiana Pressure Wash, we proudly serve the Batesville, IN community, and we understand how to do our work safely. We’ll share what we’ve learned with you below. That way, you don’t have to reinvent the wheel.
Tip #1: Rest Well and Eliminate Distractions
This is a big one. Pressure washing is a demanding process that requires your time and energy. It also needs you to focus. If you’re running on two hours of sleep, we don’t recommend that you attempt pressure washing. This process involves highly pressurized water—and if this force of nature is mishandled, it can result in property damage or even personal injury. And being sleep-deprived only increases the risk of a careless mistake.
Make sure you have gotten enough sleep before your pressure washing project. Additionally, eliminate any distractions from your workflow. You can’t pressure wash while holding your phone in your other hand. We can’t recommend listening to music while you work, either. Listening to music while pressure washing renders you unable to hear approaching people or the grinding of malfunctioning equipment.
Tip #2: Be Careful What You Spray
So, you have your pressure washing equipment, and you know which surfaces you need to clean. It’s important that you focus on those surfaces and aim carefully. When it comes to pressure washing, trigger discipline is important. In other words, you should only squeeze the hose when it’s time to spray. Don’t spray nearby areas, especially fragile ones like windows.
You should also avoid pointing your pressure washing hose at yourself. Any time you do so, you increase the risk of spraying yourself and sustaining a serious injury. Pressurized water is no joke—it can bruise or even slice open your skin. Trust us when we say a little attentiveness goes a long way. Protect yourself because your future self will be grateful.
Tip #3: Use the Correct Water Pressure
To ensure pressure washing safety, you need to protect yourself and your property. As such, it’s important to use the correct amount of water pressure during your project. But how much would this be anyway? That ultimately depends on the surface you are cleaning. Different materials require different levels of water pressure. We have included a list of many common materials, and the best settings for cleaning them, below:
- Wood fencing: 500–1,200 PSI
- Asphalt: 1,000–1,500 PSI
- Wood decking: 1,000–1,500 PSI
- Brick: 1,500–2,000 PSI
- Concrete: 2,500–3,000 PSI
Don’t see the surface you plan to clean on this list? If so, do your research on a search engine of your choice. That way, you find the information that you need.
Tip #4: Prepare the Area For Pressure Washing
A crucial part of pressure washing safety is preparing the area for cleaning. In fact, a few simple preparations can save you a lot of grief. For example, you should remove any outside furniture, decorations, and toys from the area before you pressure wash it. There are two key reasons for this. Firstly, you’ll eliminate any obstacles from the work site, making it less likely that you trip and fall. And secondly, you’ll make sure that these objects are out of the way, ensuring that they aren’t damaged by pressurized water.
What about any flower beds and gardens near the surfaces you want to pressure wash? How can you keep them safe? We recommend covering them with tarps or plastic sheets. That way, they are not disturbed by jets of pressurized water or any cleaning solutions you might be using.
Tip #5: Using Ladders Safely
Some projects will involve high surfaces that aren’t easy to reach. In other words, ladder safety and pressure washing safety have significant overlap. Reviewing how to use a ladder correctly is instrumental to your success in many cases. It’s especially important because one careless movement on a ladder could result in a fall—and a less-than-comfortable landing.
Any time you use a ladder, make sure it is set up in a flat, stable area. If the ladder is wiggling around when you climb on it, that’s a bad sign. Get back down and double-check the area that it is situated in. Adjust as needed. Additionally, don’t forget the rule of three points of contact. In short, this means that three of your four limbs should be on the ladder at all times. This drastically reduces the risk of a fall.
Still Worried About Pressure Washing Safety?
As you’ve seen, there are many pressure washing safety precautions you can take during your project. However, there is always a certain amount of risk involved with pressure washing. It’s very possible that any amount of risk makes you uncomfortable with the DIY process. So, what should you do instead of DIY pressure washing? You are always welcome to reach out to the professionals at Southeast Indiana Pressure Wash!
We are proud to have a fully trained team that understands pressure washing safety. Additionally, we are insured, meaning you risk no liability. By choosing us, you’re choosing a company that can complete the work safely—no ifs, ands, or buts.
Get Started Today
If you are interested in what we have to offer, don’t wait to let us know about it. Contact us online, give us some basic information about your project, and choose a time and date for our arrival. Then, get a free cost estimate for your convenience. Finally, if you like our asking price, confirm your appointment details, and we will be there in the near future to serve you!
