How Pressure Washing Can Improve Your Home and Increase Its Value Before Selling

It’s no secret: the real estate market is becoming increasingly competitive. 

More people are moving to Florida than ever, and with an impending economic downturn, they’re looking for the best deals possible.

As home prices drop, sellers scramble to find ways to set their properties apart. 

The 2023 housing market requires sellers to portray their properties in as positive a light as possible to make the most of their sales. 

Although there are many measures you can take to enhance your home’s features, using a pressure washer is the easiest and most cost-effective way to improve your home and increase its value before selling.

Using a Pressure Washer Maximizes Your Chances of a Profitable Sale 

According to experts, the highly competitive 2023 real estate market will present unique challenges and opportunities. Sellers are most likely to maximize gains from their sales by affordably enhancing their home’s features. 

To that end, if you are contemplating selling your home, you should adopt strategies to enhance its appeal to prospective buyers. 

Deep cleaning is one of the most accessible and reliable measures to increase your home’s value without investing large amounts of money. In addition to cleaning your home's interior, you should also consider cleaning the exterior.

A pressure washer makes cleaning the outside of your home easy—particularly hard-to-reach places like the roof and gutters. 

Additionally, pressure washers are readily available for rent from home improvement stores and smaller companies. Alternatively, you can hire experts to complete the job for you. 

Ultimately, you have little to lose since pressure washing is a far more affordable option than renovating your home or even repainting your walls. And because using a pressure washer is so easy, there’s no reason not to try it. 

Pressure Washing Improves Curb Appeal 

Curb appeal is one of the most critical determinants of a home’s value.

The outside of your home is the first thing your appraiser, real estate agent, and buyers will see—and first impressions are everything. 

You’ll want to eliminate debris and grime from visible surfaces to optimize your home's curb appeal. Your home’s siding can attract dirt and grime from pollution, passing cars, and rainfall. 

Also, your gutters can gather rotting leaves and debris, while your roof may grow mold or lichens.

Eliminating dirt, grime, and growth from your home’s exterior is an easy way to improve the property's overall appearance. 

A pressure washer is the best and most efficient way to eliminate grime since it resolves the problem quickly and prevents further growth. 

Even if you don’t notice the diminished appearance of your home, you’ll see the difference once you clean it deeply. It’s easy to become acclimated to build-up, but an unkempt property is a major red flag to prospective buyers.

Maintaining your home’s exterior is relatively easy with a pressure washer. Using the instructions below, you can improve your curb appeal in no time. 

Ensure Safety and Prevent Injuries With a Deep Clean

Dirt and grime don’t just accrue on your home—they build up on steps, walkways, and decks. Additionally, mosses and lichens can grow in these areas, causing surfaces to slip and potentially invite injuries.

For this reason, you should consider pressure washing any exterior surfaces, including patios and pavement. 

A deep clean can eliminate existing debris and growth and prevent it from happening in the future. 

Preventing such accidents is essential to your family’s safety. Additionally, you should ensure that anyone visiting your home (including buyers) isn’t harmed since an accident could invite unpleasant legal consequences.

Cleaning outdoor surfaces with a pressure washer minimizes the chances of an accident, ensuring high safety standards.

Follow the steps below to use a pressure washer on your deck or walkways.

1. Use a wide-angle spray nozzle on your pressure washer.

2. Choose specialty detergent for decks or steps. A deck cleaning solution should remove dirt and organic growth on steps, decks, patios, and pavement.

3. Apply the deck-cleaning solution or load it in your washer.

4. Allow the solution to sit on the wood to ensure a thorough cleaning.

5. Spray at a 45-degree angle facing away from yourself.  

6. Let the surface dry before attempting to walk across it. 

Pressure Washing Improves Home Hygiene 

Your home’s exterior is your only defense against the elements. 

For this reason, your roof, gutters, and siding attract pollen, mold, moss, and other allergens and debris. 

Pressure washing your home can help prevent the growth of dangerous molds and algae. It can also help eradicate pre-existing moss and prevent new developments from taking root. 

If you or anyone in your family suffers from allergies, respiratory illness, or immune deficiencies, you should consistently pressure wash your home. Doing so can also ensure that your buyers have a smooth viewing experience by preventing unforeseen allergic reactions. 

Consider washing more frequently during the spring and autumn, when allergens gather on exterior surfaces in higher density.

Clean Your Home To Ensure Longevity 

The buildup of mosses, lichens, and debris on your roof can weaken the structure of your home. Over time, these substances can cause decay, damage shingles, and leak moisture into your home. 

This, in turn, can contribute to costly damages down the line. Water damage is one of the worst issues that can occur to a homeowner. 

Thankfully, pressure washing can remove plants and debris from your roof, ensuring its integrity and promoting longevity.

Cleaning your roof consistently can protect your home over the long run, saving you significant amounts of money before selling.

Use a Pressure Washer To Enhance Your Listings 

Your listing is the first thing your potential buyers will see.

For this reason, you’ll want to take any steps possible to improve your listing—starting with a positive image of your home. 

A listing with a high-quality photograph is much more likely to incite buyers to contact you. While you can pay for a professional photographer and editing capabilities, a high-quality picture is only as good as its subject. 

The National Association of Realtors found that over 90% of buyers are looking for new properties online. 

To that end, you’ll need to optimize your photos—and pressure washing is an excellent place to start.

You can wash the sidings on your house to give it a modern, clean look, and you can pressure wash your gutters and roof to minimize moss and prevent expensive damages. 

Ultimately, clean homes sell better, and a pressure washer will undoubtedly boost the allure of your property.

Pressure Wash To Increase Natural Lighting Throughout Your Home 

Natural lighting is one of the primary determinants of a home’s appearance.

Many people judge a home more favorably when it appears lighter, cleaner, and more spacious. Good lighting can even make your home look more prominent. 

Lastly, many buyers look for natural lighting to save money over the long term. More natural lighting can lead to lower energy bills, and a clean, bright home won’t need to receive a coat of paint as frequently.

You can increase the natural lighting throughout your home by removing any pollution, dirt, or stains outside with a pressure washer. 

Clearing dirt, grime, cobwebs, and other debris from the exterior surfaces of your house will brighten the look of your home, making it appear newer and more extensive.

Consider hiring professionals to take care of your windows since a pressure washer can potentially damage or shatter your windows.

If you choose to wash your windows, use the lowest pressure setting on the washer and a 40 or 65-degree nozzle. You’ll need to target the windows at an angle to avoid too much direct pressure.

How To Use a Pressure Washer To Boost Your Home Value 

Pressure washing your home is easy and affordable.

First, you’ll need to find a pressure washer. Most people prefer using powerful pressure washers (2,500-3,000 psi) on vinyl and less pressure on wood, stucco, or aluminum surfaces.

You can find a pressure washer at your local home improvement store or rent one from a small business owner.

Then, use the following steps to pressure wash your home.

How To Pressure Wash Your Home’s Exterior 

1. Prepare the area by removing clutter, including light fixtures or potted plants.

2. Set the PSI of your washer.

3. Add detergent to the pressure washer.

4. Attach a spray tip (20-25 degrees) 

5. Start at the bottom and wash up at a 45-degree angle—Spray in a side-to-side motion around the house. 

6. Lower the PSI and move the flow of water from top to bottom to clear the detergent.

How To Pressure Wash Your Roof and Gutters 

Pressure washing your roof and gutters is relatively easy and can dramatically enhance your home’s appearance. If your roof has shingles, ensure you use the proper precautions to protect them, as they can be fragile.

1. Start with your roof and set your washer to a low PSI.

2. Load a gentle detergent into the pressure washer.

3. Attach a 25-degree nozzle.

4. Aim the nozzle at a downward angle (use a ladder if needed) and keep the nozzle at least a foot from the surface.

5. Work your way around the roof.

6. Use a gutter cleaning wand to repeat the process with your gutters.

There are many reasons to use a pressure washer on your home’s exterior. You are far more likely to attract buyers when you improve your listings and enhance your curb appeal. With so many benefits and few drawbacks, pressure washing your home is the best way to improve your property value.