Pressure Washing in Whittier, CA

Pressure washing in Whittier calls for more restraint than in most nearby cities. Whittier was incorporated in 1898, and its historic districts include College Hills, plus Central Park and Hadley-Greenleaf, which hold many Craftsman and Spanish Colonial Revival homes. Older wood siding, hand-troweled plaster, clay tile and original windows can be damaged by careless high pressure. We clean these homes with low pressure and the right cleaners, and save stronger methods for concrete that can handle it.

Historic districts and the city's review

After the October 1, 1987 Whittier Narrows earthquake damaged many of Uptown Whittier's historic buildings, residents formed the Whittier Conservancy and the city created a Historic Resources Commission to oversee landmarks, historic districts and Mills Act proposals. Cleaning is maintenance, not a change to a building, but if your home is a landmark, in a district or under a Mills Act contract, it is worth checking whether any follow-up work, like repainting in a new color, needs review. We are glad to describe our methods in writing for you to share.

How we treat older surfaces

• Wood siding and trim: soft wash only, with a gentle rinse so water is not forced behind boards
• Plaster and stucco: low pressure with a cleaner that lifts dirt and mildew instead of eroding the finish
• Clay tile roofs: roof soft washing from safe positions, avoiding walking on old tile
• Brick and stone: tested in a small area first, since old mortar can wash out
• Original windows: cleaned around carefully so old glazing is not blown out

Hotter and dustier than the coast

Whittier sits about 15 miles inland from the Pacific, so it misses much of the coastal cooling. Summer highs usually run 84 to 97 F, and mean rainfall is only about 14 inches a year, mostly in winter. Long hot, dry stretches bake dust onto walls and concrete and leave a thick layer on solar panels. Hard sun on the south and west walls fades and chalks paint, while shaded north walls and spots under trees can still grow mildew.

Newer neighborhoods too

Not all of Whittier is historic. After World War II, orange groves were subdivided for housing, and Friendly Hills in East Whittier was developed in the 1950s and 1960s. Starlite Estates sits in the hills north of the historic districts. For these homes we offer the full list: 1. House washing for stucco and painted siding 2. Driveway and concrete cleaning, including steep hillside drives and steps 3. Roof soft washing for tile and shingle 4. Paver and patio cleaning for backyards and pool decks 5. Solar panel cleaning after dusty summers 6. Commercial pressure washing for Uptown storefronts, offices and restaurant sidewalks

Settled residents

Census estimates show 94.3% of Whittier residents lived in the same house a year earlier, one of the highest rates in the area, and 57.9% of homes are owner-occupied, with a median value of $822,600. People who stay that long tend to care about protecting original features, and that fits our approach: clean the house, do not wear it out.

Hillside lots and runoff

On sloped lots, rinse water can travel quickly down a driveway and into the street. We plan where water will go before we start, use barriers at the curb when needed and keep cleaning solutions off the road.

Free estimates

Call (714) 640-6791 to set up a visit. We will look at the age and condition of each surface, explain how we would clean it and give you a written quote.

Call (714) 640-6791