What shouldn’t you power wash?

What shouldn’t you power wash?

Several surfaces are simply too delicate for direct power washing and should either be avoided or cleaned with a soft-washing approach instead. Asphalt shingle roofs top the list, since high pressure strips protective granules and significantly shortens roof lifespan. Painted or aging wood siding, stucco, and fiber cement products like James Hardie siding can chip, crack, or have water forced behind the surface under too much pressure. Delicate items like window screens, outdoor electrical fixtures, air conditioning units, and older mortar joints between bricks or pavers are also at real risk. Antique or historic masonry, headstones, and any surface already showing cracks or structural wear should be avoided entirely with high pressure. As a general rule, if a surface is painted, porous, aged, or electrical, treat it with caution or switch to a lower-pressure soft-washing method instead.