NASHVILLE'S MOST TRUSTED INSPECTION & CONSULTING FIRM 615-302-1113
  • Home
  • Home Inspection Services
    • Home Inspection
    • Consultation Inspection
  • Additional Inspection Services
    • Inspection Services >
      • Repair Estimates
      • Pre-drywall Inspection
      • 1 Year Home Warranty Inspections
      • EIFS, Stucco & AMSV
      • Log Homes
      • Bank, Lender & Investor Inspections
      • Radon Testing
      • Sample Report
  • Schedule an Inspection Online
  • Blog
  • 18 Month Premium Warranty
  • Free Warranties and More!
  • Litigation Consulting
    • Qualifications
  • About
    • Our Team
    • Qualifications
    • Areas Served
  • Contact

Do Not Pressure Wash!

7/29/2016

Comments

 
I'm not really sure why guys like to pressure wash everything! Maybe it is that feeling of power having 10X's the force of a hurricane in your hands, I just don't understand it.  Anyway, I say all of this to issue a warning to any and all homeowners that own a power washer or are thinking of having their home power washed!  DON'T DO IT!

​Just think about the force of the water that is shooting out of that nozzle. Even at it's lowest settings it will take the skin off your foot or any other body part you stick in front of it.  So just imagine shooting that water at your home and then imagine all of little nooks and crannies that water is going to find.  You are shooting water into areas you don't want it to go!

​Some claddings (siding material on the exterior walls of your home) can take the force of a pressure washer a little better than others. Brick holds up fairly well, but it can still be etched and damaged. Vinyl siding can be stripped off the side of a home and if you have Hardy Plank or any other cementious siding , it can be split and delaminated.  Forget wood, unless you want to strip the paint right off the planks!  As for Stucco or EIFS (artificial stucco), don't even think about power spraying a wall clad in stucco or EIFS.  You will strip off the finish coat in seconds!

​The following photos are of an EIFS home that I inspected. The lamina or finish coat was all but removed from this home.  The underlying mesh was visible on every single wall and window banding.  The good news was that all moisture levels were low at all windows and penetrations. The $10,000 worth of restoration work that they previous owner did  five years ago was working.  The bad news was that the $200 pressure wash job removed the lamina coat and now the current owner will need to have it reapplied to the tune of around $15,000 to $20,000

If you want to clean your home, you can purchase several different house washing products.  Most come in a plastic bottle that you attach to your garden hose. It sprays a chemical (similar to household bleach) with other surfactants in it to help remove the dirt and grime.  You let them sit for a few minutes and then spray it down with clean water from that garden hose.  NO POWER WASHERS!!  

So what is one to do with that fancy power washer you now have?  How about cleaning the driveway!  But, be careful if you have exposed aggregate!  Again too strong of a stream and you will strip those little stones right off…  Another option would be to sell that spraying beast on Craig's list or have a garage sale!
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Picture
Scott Patterson specializes in Stucco, EIFS and AMSV (Faux stone) inspections through out Tennessee and the South. Call 615-302-1113 if you have a question or need to setup an appointment.
Comments

The Strange and Unusual Finds of the Home Inspector!

7/24/2016

Comments

 
Every year I get several request for photos of strange items I find while doing inspections. ASHI has a great source for the strange and unusual inspection finds by inspectors from all across the country. Postcards from the Field has been sharing the strange and unusual for many years. Take a look at Postcards from the Field and enjoy. Every issue of the ASHI Reporter will have several Postcards from the Field in it.  Just check each issue for some great photos in addition to some very informative articles.

Postcards from the Field
Picture
Comments

    Author

    Scott Patterson has been a professional home inspector since 1995.  Scott works out of the Greater Nashville TN area. Contact his team at Trace Inspections for all of your inspection needs. 
    ​Office 615-302-1113 

    Picture

    Archives

    June 2021
    March 2021
    December 2020
    November 2020
    September 2019
    September 2018
    April 2018
    March 2018
    August 2017
    May 2017
    February 2017
    October 2016
    September 2016
    July 2016
    June 2016
    February 2016
    September 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015

    RSS Feed

We have only one client and that is you!

  • Home
  • Home Inspection Services
    • Home Inspection
    • Consultation Inspection
  • Additional Inspection Services
    • Inspection Services >
      • Repair Estimates
      • Pre-drywall Inspection
      • 1 Year Home Warranty Inspections
      • EIFS, Stucco & AMSV
      • Log Homes
      • Bank, Lender & Investor Inspections
      • Radon Testing
      • Sample Report
  • Schedule an Inspection Online
  • Blog
  • 18 Month Premium Warranty
  • Free Warranties and More!
  • Litigation Consulting
    • Qualifications
  • About
    • Our Team
    • Qualifications
    • Areas Served
  • Contact