Is pressure washing safe for vinyl siding?

Pressure Washing vs Soft Washing for Vinyl Siding

Vinyl siding is one of the most common exterior materials in Madison-area homes and one of the most misunderstood when it comes to cleaning. High-pressure washing and vinyl siding are a bad combination. High pressure forces water behind vinyl panel seams causing wood rot mold growth inside walls and insulation damage that costs thousands to repair. In temperatures below 50 degrees which is common in Madison spring and fall vinyl becomes brittle and high-pressure water can crack panels. High pressure also strips caulk around windows and doors creating entry points for water and air infiltration. Pressure alone removes surface dirt but does not kill mold or algae at the root so growth returns within weeks. Soft washing uses pressure similar to a strong garden hose at typically 40 to 100 PSI combined with professional cleaning solution containing sodium hypochlorite and surfactants. The chemistry does the cleaning work not the pressure. The solution kills mold mildew algae and bacteria at the cellular level and results typically last four to six times longer than pressure washing because the organic growth is eliminated rather than temporarily displaced. Our process pre-wets all plants applies solution from bottom to top allows five to ten minutes dwell time rinses from top to bottom at low pressure and post-rinses all landscaping to verify no residue remains.