brick Power Washing

Should You Power Wash Your Bricks

Commercial and residential structures made of brick have a more upscale appearance, improved value, and excellent property protection. Periodic maintenance and cleaning are needed to maintain the bricks on your building or home safe and to ensure they reach their true longevity. If you haven’t cleaned your brick in a while, you can notice black mildew or green algae forming on the bricks or in the grout lines. If that’s the case, you might be wondering if you can clean the brick by power washing it.

Is It Safe to Power Wash Bricks

Generally speaking, yes, brick structures can be power washed. It’s vital to keep in mind, though, that unlike concrete, brick cannot withstand continuous high pressure, according to reputable construction firms and house inspectors. Homes that are 80 years old or older might not be able to withstand any excessive pressure. Your best bet is to contact a trusted brick power washing professionals.

If you apply too much pressure to your brick house, you risk damaging the grout, loosening the bricks, or even breaking them. When this occurs, your home or commercial building’s vulnerable status makes it more vulnerable to additional damage, water penetration, or significant safety concerns. If you’re cleaning the house by yourself, it’s crucial to utilize a low pressure nozzle.

To eradicate the mildew and algae at the core level, experts will apply a biodegradable substance called Sodium Hypochlorite. You can use a solution of warm water and chlorine bleach to gently scrape the brick to get rid of algae if you want to do it yourself. Then, use your low-pressure nozzle to power wash the brick.

If you are too busy or unaware of how to properly clean your house or commercial property, we always suggest using a professional cleaning service. Although it’s simple to find power washers and cleaning agents, a professional firm will have the necessary skills, safety precautions, and top-of-the-line equipment and agents to keep you and your property safe.

What to Avoid

Basically, stay away from too high pressure. Any damaged brick that is pressure washed can chip or retreat. This can be challenging because scraping the top layer off multiple bricks might provide the appearance of cleanliness rather than damage.

Avoid using any acidic cleaners, such as ammonia, or acid washing while cleaning brick siding. An acidic cleaner, like muriatic acid, for instance, might erode away at the mortar’s outer surface.

An entire brick house’s surface can be harmed by pressure washers. On high pressure levels, it is impossible to pressure wash brick. You might not notice that the brick was harmed for a few years. Although the delamination process proceeds quite slowly, once it has begun it cannot be stopped. As the brick on your house or patio begins to deteriorate, the entire structure will need to be replaced.

Soft Washing?

A mild wash technique is advised since high pressure cleaning of brick siding is unsafe. Biodegradable cleaners that remove surface pollutants are the foundation of soft washing. A low-pressure rinse that is safe for the brick and successfully removes those impurities comes next. It is advisable to leave soft washing to a fully licensed and insured professional power washing company because it is a specialized technique.