Pressure washing is a great way to wash the outside of your home from the outer areas of your home, to stone and brick in your garden, and driveways. Homeowners seem to have a bit of concern when it comes to pressure washing certain areas of their home and today, we’ll be talking about the effects of pressure washing your concrete. If you have any concerns about pressure washing in Michigan then keep on reading. Let’s dive in and see if there’s any possibility of damage from pressure washing in Michigan.

Can Pressure Washing Cause Damage to Concrete?

Pressure washing in Michigan can actually cause damage to concrete if you’re not careful. Most people think that concrete is almost invincible and can take any amount of pressure without damage, but that’s not really the case. If you’re not careful you can actually cause irreversible damage to your concrete, so taking precautions and working slowly will help to keep your concrete intact during the cleaning. This shouldn’t worry anyone though, as professional pressure washing companies are trained on maintaining the life of certain areas of your home, like concrete, while still getting the job done.

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How Do You Pressure Wash Without Damaging Concrete?

There are ways that you can avoid damaging your concrete while still getting a good clean with a pressure washer. The main reasons that your concrete can be damaged while pressure washing is because of the wrong tip being used, being too close to the concrete, or having a too high-pressure washer for the job. We’ve compiled some of the best tips to ensure that no damage happens to your concrete while pressure washing.

Use a pressure washer with a lower PSI. Typically, one of the reasons that concrete can be damaged is that the pressure washer is too high pressure for the concrete. The best pressure to start with is about 3,000 PSI, but starting even lower than that could be best. Having a high-pressure washer can blow the top layer of your concrete off pretty easily.

Check the nozzle. The nozzle that should be used on concrete should be much larger or wider than some of the smaller ones. This gives a more spread-out stream of water from your pressure washer which allows for a more even spread. Having a smaller nozzle can make the stream of water come out very harsh which can cause damage.

Keep your pressure washer at least a foot away from the concrete. Having your pressure washer nozzle too close to the concrete is another big way that you can cause damage to your concrete. You want to make sure to leave some distance between the pressure washer and the concrete to ensure you’re not being too harsh with the pressure.

Do You Have to Seal Concrete After Pressure Washing?

Technically you do not have to seal your concrete after getting it to pressure washed, but you definitely should. We recommend getting your concrete resealed after pressure washing because this can help to repair any of the barriers that may have been damaged during the washing. Plus, it will help with avoiding damage or stains to your concrete after pressure washing.

 Pressure washing in Michigan can cause a bit of harm to your concrete, but sometimes it’s hard to tell if there is a need to be resealed. It’s always best to have your concrete sealed once you get it pressure washed because this adds back a great layer of protection that will help keep your concrete intact much longer.

What Do You Spray on Concrete Before Pressure Washing?

Another thing that many people might not know about when it comes to pressure washing concrete is there is something that needs to be sprayed on the concrete before starting to pressure wash it. A degreaser must be sprayed on the concrete and scrubbed in before pressure washing the concrete. Applying a degreaser will help to loosen any of the dirt on the concrete which allows for easier cleaning. This also prevents the person from applying too much pressure in one area by trying to “scrub off” stains and dirt which can in turn actually damage your concrete.

Final Thoughts

Pressure washing concrete can actually be damaging if not done properly. However, this shouldn’t be much of a concern for homeowners because companies that do pressure washing in Michigan have been trained on how to pressure wash areas without damaging them. Pressure washing concrete needs to be prepared by using a degreaser and also taking precautions to ensure no damage is being done such as using the right nozzle and not being too close to the concrete.

Overall, pressure washing in Michigan is worth it for your concrete, but we do recommend having your concrete sealed once it is pressure washed. This is to help ensure that a barrier is placed on it to avoid further damage and staining. This also will ensure that your concrete lasts much longer even after it’s been pressure washed. As long as a homeowner uses a professional company to pressure wash their concrete then they should have no problems with damage once the job is done.