Power Washing

High pressure isn't always the answer. We use the right technique for the right surface.

Nature takes a toll on exterior surfaces here. Moss, algae, and dirt build up slowly, making siding look dull and rendering decks dangerously slippery. But blasting every surface with maximum pressure causes massive damage—it forces water behind vinyl siding and destroys the fibers in wood decks.

The green-black film that creeps across a north-facing wall isn't just dirt. It's living mildew and algae feeding on the moisture our lake-country air holds all summer. Scrubbing it off with a wand does nothing about the roots; it grows back within weeks. We treat it chemically instead — a cleaning solution that kills the growth at the surface so a gentle rinse carries it away and it stays gone far longer.

That's the difference between power washing and soft washing. Power washing uses mechanical force and belongs on hard, durable surfaces — concrete driveways, brick, stone walkways, and paver patios that can take a strong stream without harm. Soft washing uses low pressure and the right cleaning agents to do the work, which is what siding, painted wood, and roofs need. Point a pressure washer at aluminum or vinyl and you'll drive water up under the laps and into the wall cavity; on cedar or a painted porch, you'll raise the grain and blast off a finish that was still perfectly sound.

We provide professional power washing for concrete and masonry, and safe soft washing for siding and roofs. By relying on specialized cleaning solutions to break down mold and algae, we can gently rinse away the grime without putting your home at risk.

Most of our washing is prep for something else. A house never gets painted until it's clean, because paint can't grip chalky oxidation or a mildewed surface — see how it fits into our exterior painting process. The same is true before we stain a deck: the boards get cleaned and brightened first, which is a core step in our deck restoration work.

We wash a lot of exteriors around Lake Wallenpaupack and Lake Ariel, where lakefront humidity feeds algae on shaded siding and dock-side decks, and older homes in Honesdale, where we keep the pressure low so we never disturb aging paint or delicate trim.