The duration of a pressure washing project depends on many factors such as the size of the home being washed, the dirtiness of the surface, the equipment being used, the experience of the technician, and the additional services being performed. This being said a typical EcoWash standard house pressure wash on a 2500 square foot two-story suburban home will likely take two to six hours.
Size of Home | Length of Service |
1500 sq ft (ranch-style) | 1.5 - 3 hours |
2500 sq ft (2-story) | 2 - 6 hours |
3500+ sq ft (2-story) | 3.5 - 8 hours |
Size of the Home
When it comes to variance in the length of a pressure washing project, many assume the size of the home is the only important factor. While it certainly is important, it is not necessarily the most important factor. A large, clean home may take as long as a smaller, dirtier home to pressure wash. Generally speaking, a larger home will take longer and cost more to wash than a smaller home. Many companies, including EcoWash, consider the square footage of the home when pricing out projects. At EcoWash the square footage of the home is a large factor in pricing a house pressure washing project, but not the only factor.
Dirtiness of the Surface
A surface covered in mold, dirt, algae, or mildew will take considerably more time and attention to fully clean than a surface with fewer of those aspects. When we estimate the duration of a house pressure washing project, if a side of the home is extremely dirty or covered in algae, we generally assume that side will take an additional hour to clean as compared to if it was spotless. Algae is generally the largest culprit when it comes to surfaces being dirty and the use of some chemicals can significantly speed up the time it takes a technician to wash the side, although the price may not be influenced as the chemicals cost money and take expertise to apply correctly. If dirt is the culprit the siding will need significant time and effort put into it to effectively clean it. On a white-sided home that has not been washed for over a decade, the buildup can be so severe that we have had homeowners in the past surprised at the actual color of their siding after one of our services. Pressure washing can turn what you thought was light-gray siding into a shining white in just half a day.
The Equipment
Equipment can be one of the largest contributing factors to the duration of a pressure washing service. Large, contractor-grade pressure washing equipment, especially pressure washers built onto trailers with high gallon-per-minute flow can turn what would take a homeowner eight hours into an hour-long project. Small electric DIYer equipment that many homeowners have will generally take an extremely long time and a lot of effort to get the same results. When it comes to pressure washing equipment, we can think of the GPM flow as the width of a paintbrush (Super high PSI is a gimmick for the most part). Using a small electric pressure washer would be like painting your house with a half-inch brush, you can do it, but it won’t be quick. Using a large trailer-built pressure washer is like painting your home with a 10-inch roller. It is quick, efficient, and effective. At EcoWash, we usually use larger gas-powered pressure washers akin to a 6-inch brush. It is quick, mobile, and will leave your house in tip-top shape in a day or less.
GPM Flow Rate | Duration of Service on a 2500 sq ft home |
1.3 GPM (standard homeowner grade) | 6 - 10 hours |
3.0 GPM (EcoWash average) | 2 - 6 hours |
6.0 GPM (Large industrial-grade equipment) | 1 - 3 hours |
Additional Services being Performed
During a house pressure washing service, you may request the technician to clean your driveway, patio, deck, or fence. If this is the case, those services will add significant time to the project. Surface cleaning concrete can be a significant addition as it requires unique equipment.Â
Experience of the Technician
As you may guess, an experienced technician will be far quicker than a novice. If you are a homeowner reading this and planning to perform this service yourself, especially with homeowner-grade equipment, do not take these timing estimates to heart as it will likely take you significantly longer to perform the pressure washing service well.
If you are a homeowner looking to save some time and take the stress of exterior cleaning off your back, get in touch with one of our local professionals here.