How to Pressure Wash Damaged Shingles

Wood shingles are a traditional siding choice.

Builders install shingles over plywood sheathing on the exterior of a house. Homeowners use shingles as decorative accents or as a whole-house covering. Typically, siding shingles or shakes are wood. Shakes resemble shingles, but are thicker and lack the uniformity of shingles. Many homeowners use the terms "shingles" and "shakes" interchangeably. Impacts and improper care leads to shingle or shake damage and degradation. Pressure washers emit an intense stream of water and may destroy damaged shingles. Repairing damage before pressure washing is necessary to prevent shingle destruction.

Things You'll Need

• Galvanized nails
• Hammer
• Wood chisel
• Mallet
• Hacksaw
• Shingles
• Garden hose
• Reducer fitting or adapter

Instructions

1. Inspect the siding for signs of rot and loose or missing shingles. Drive galvanized nails into loose shingles to secure them in place. Remove and replace rotted or severely damaged shingles. Hold a wood chisel along the grain of damaged shingles and strike the chisel with a mallet to split shingle for easy removal. Pull out exposed nail heads with the claw end of a hammer. Slip a thin hacksaw under the damaged shingle to cut through hidden nails. Measure and cut a replacement shingle. Insert the new shingle under the row above and secure it in place with galvanized nails.

2. Connect a hose to the pressure washer. Many pressure washers accommodate standard garden hose connections. Some pressure washers require a reducer fitting or adapter between the hose and pressure washer connection. Refer to the manufacturer's instructions to determine the proper connection.

3. Set the washer to its lowest pressure setting if the washer is adjustable. Many non-professional pressure washers don't feature a pressure setting.

4. Stand a minimum of 6 feet from the siding. Turn the pressure washer on. Aim the nozzle at the shingles, beginning at the top of the house and working toward the ground. Step toward the shingles slowly to increase the force at which the water hits the shingles until you reach a distance at which the water is cleaning the shingles, but not harming them. Keep the pressure washer nozzle in constant motion to avoid breaking or splitting shingles.

Tips & Warnings

• Wear eye protection when pressure washing shingles.

• Don't concentrate the stream of water in one place; the water can bore a hole through the shingle.

References

• "Home Repair and Improvement"; Creative Homeowner Editors; 2006
• "Reader's Digest Complete Do-It-Yourself Manual"; Family Handyman Magazine Editors; 2005