Pressure Washing in Saco, ME

If you are looking for pressure washing in Saco, ME, the job probably falls into one of three buckets: a house near the beach that is coated in salt and sand, an older building downtown with brick or painted wood, or a rental property that needs to look good between tenants. Saco has all three, and each calls for a different approach.

Beach houses on Saco Bay

Saco sits at the south end of Saco Bay, which has what is described as the longest unbroken stretch of beach in the state. The Camp Ellis neighborhood and the area around Ferry Beach State Park take the full force of wind off the water. Salt spray dries into a film on windows, siding and outdoor furniture, and sand blows into every corner of a deck. Camp Ellis has also been eroding since the Army Corps of Engineers built rock jetties at the mouth of the Saco River in 1866, which cut off the sand supply to its beaches.

For beach properties we soft wash siding and trim rather than using high pressure, then rinse thoroughly with fresh water so no salt or cleaner residue is left behind. Decks and railings get cleaned to remove salt and sand, and we pay attention to metal fixtures and screens. Many owners near the water benefit from a wash at the start and end of each season.

Mill-era buildings and older homes

Saco became a city on February 18, 1867, and its downtown grew around the textile mills on Factory Island. York Manufacturing Company took over the island's mill site in 1831 and ran until 1958. The city has many buildings on the National Register of Historic Places in Georgian, Federal, Greek Revival and Victorian styles. Old brick is softer than modern brick and its mortar can wash out, so we follow National Park Service guidance: start at about 100 psi or below, test a patch and stay generally within 300 to 400 psi. Masonry can take more than a week to dry after cleaning, and it should not be washed when frost is possible.

Older wood homes often have layers of paint applied before 1978. Maine law lists uncontained high-pressure washing among the activities that may release lead into the environment, so we use low pressure, lay down ground cover and talk with you if the paint is in poor shape.

Rental owners and property managers

About 27 percent of Saco homes are renter-occupied, based on the Census owner-occupancy rate of 72.8%. Landlords and managers of multi-unit buildings and seasonal rentals need exteriors, walkways and entries that look cared for when a new tenant or guest arrives. We can quote:

• Siding and trim washing for multi-unit buildings
• Stairways, porches and walkways
• Parking areas and dumpster pads
• Seasonal turnover cleaning for beach rentals
• Recurring schedules with written scopes for each property

Rinse water and the river

The Saco River runs through the city to Saco Bay. We keep wash water and cleaning products out of storm drains, redirect runoff onto landscaped areas and sweep up debris. On beachfront lots we avoid running wash water across the sand toward the water.

How to get started

Call (207) 393-2121 or send photos. We visit, look at the siding, decks, masonry or rental units and give you a free written estimate that lists each surface and method. For rental portfolios we can quote several properties at once.

Get a Free Estimate