My house looked like garbage last spring. I’m not exaggerating – the vinyl siding was green with mold, my driveway had black streaks all over it, and my deck looked like it hadn’t been touched in ten years. My wife kept dropping hints about how nice the neighbors’ houses looked after they got them power washed, but I kept putting it off thinking I could handle it myself with a garden hose and some elbow grease.
Yeah, that didn’t work. After spending a whole Saturday scrubbing one section of siding and barely making a dent, I finally broke down and called a power washing company. Three hours later, my house looked like we’d just bought it. I felt like an idiot for waiting so long, but at least I learned my lesson.
Now our house is the one the neighbors are trying to keep up with, and honestly, it feels pretty good driving up to a house that actually looks like we take care of it.
Power Washing Your Yard In Jackson, NJ
Why Jackson Houses Get So Gross
Living in Jackson means dealing with a lot of trees, which is great until you realize what all that shade and moisture does to your house. We’ve got these huge oak trees in our yard that I love, but they create the perfect conditions for mold and mildew to grow on everything.
The humidity here doesn’t help either. Between the moisture from all the wooded areas and the fact that we’re not far from the coast, everything stays damp longer than it should. My neighbor Tom’s house faces north and barely gets any sun – his siding was completely covered in green stuff before he had it cleaned.
Then there’s the pollen situation in spring. I swear every surface outside gets coated with that yellow dust, and regular rain doesn’t wash it off – it just makes this gross film that sticks to everything. My cars, my deck furniture, the side of my house – everything looked like it had been abandoned for years.
The Driveway Disaster
Don’t even get me started on what happens to driveways and walkways here. Between tree sap, oil stains from cars, and whatever that black streaky stuff is that grows on concrete, my driveway was embarrassing. I tried pressure washing it myself with a little electric unit I bought at Home Depot, but it was like trying to clean a swimming pool with a squirt gun.
My friend Mike lives over in the Leesville section and his concrete patio was so stained he was considering having it replaced. After getting it professionally power washed, it looked brand new. Saved him probably five grand and a huge headache.
What Professional Power Washing Actually Does
I used to think power washing was just spraying water really hard at stuff. Turns out there’s actually technique and different equipment for different jobs. The guys who did my house explained that vinyl siding needs different pressure than concrete, and you need special detergents for different types of stains.
They started with my siding using some kind of cleaning solution that they let sit for a few minutes before washing it off. I watched from inside the house, and it was like watching years of grime just melt away. Sections that I thought might need to be replaced looked perfect when they were done.
Equipment That Actually Works
The difference between professional equipment and what you can rent at the hardware store is night and day. These guys had this truck-mounted unit that put out way more pressure and volume than anything I could get my hands on. They also had different nozzles and attachments for different surfaces.
The guy doing my deck used a rotating surface cleaner that cleaned evenly without leaving those zebra stripes you get when you try to do it by hand. My deck went from looking like driftwood to looking like I’d just stained it, and they didn’t use any stain at all – just got rid of all the built-up dirt and weathering.
Getting Your Money’s Worth
Power washing isn’t cheap, but when I think about what it would cost to replace my deck or re-side my house, it’s definitely worth it. Plus, the time factor is huge – what would have taken me weeks to do badly, they knocked out in one afternoon and did it perfectly.
Timing Matters
The best time to get your house power washed in Jackson is late spring or early summer, after all the pollen settles but before it gets too hot and humid. I made the mistake of waiting until August my first year, and the algae and mold had already taken over everything.
Now I schedule it for May every year, right after I get my lawn service started for the season. It’s become part of my spring maintenance routine, like cleaning the gutters or servicing the air conditioning.
What to Look For
Not all power washing companies are the same. The first place I called wanted to charge me by the hour, which seemed like they had no idea how long the job would take. The company I ended up using gave me a flat rate based on the size of my house and what surfaces needed cleaning.
They also carried insurance, which matters more than you think. My neighbor had some fly-by-night guys damage his shutters and then disappear when he tried to get them to fix it. The professionals I used guaranteed their work and fixed a small issue with my gutters at no extra charge.
Results That Last
The amazing thing about professional power washing is how long it lasts. My house still looks great almost a year later, whereas when I tried to clean it myself, it looked dirty again within a couple months. They use treatments that help prevent mold and mildew from coming back as quickly.
My driveway is probably the most dramatic difference. It went from looking like an oil spill to looking like new concrete. Even after a whole winter of salt and sand, it still looks way better than it did before they cleaned it.
Look, I’m usually the guy who tries to do everything himself to save money. But power washing is one of those jobs where paying professionals is absolutely worth it. The results speak for themselves, and now I don’t have to spend my weekends fighting a losing battle with mold and grime. My house looks better, my property value went up, and I actually enjoy pulling into my driveway again.
