BLASTThe Property Manager’s Guide to Pressure Washing in San Francisco
Everything your superintendent actually needs to know — PSI selection for Victorian brick, SFPUC stormwater recapture, grease-trap apron specs, and how to get a crew on-site across all seven supervisorial districts before the morning commute.
48-hour dispatch guarantee
Sunset · Mission · SoMa · Dogpatch · SOMA · Castro · Richmond
Surface cleaner at work, Dogpatch warehouse district — 5:47 AM
Blast field crew, Route 7 · February 2026
PSI Selection, Surface Compatibility, and Why Getting It Wrong Costs More Than the Cleaning Contract
San Francisco’s building stock is a 150-year mashup of Victorian wood frames, unreinforced masonry, postwar concrete, and 1990s stucco. Each surface has a pressure ceiling. Exceed it and you’re writing checks your insurance broker will remember. This section is the field reference.
Marcus Reyes
“I’ve pressure washed every surface type in this city. The mistakes I’ve seen come from one source: people applying residential logic to commercial stock.”
↑ All specifications reflect Blast crew SOPs as of Q1 2026. Conditions vary — on-site assessment always precedes job start.
Nozzle selection check before a Valencia St. restaurant apron job
Field note — Marcus Reyes
Historic brick in the Mission corridor typically runs 1890s–1920s stock. We drop to 600 PSI and use a 40-degree fan. Any higher and you’re pulling mortar. A repoint job runs $8–$15/sq ft. The wash was $0.12/sq ft. Do the math before you pull the trigger.
Bay Area Stormwater Law, SFPUC Requirements, and Why Your Last Vendor’s Crew Didn’t Know Any of This
The stormwater inlet two feet from your parking structure drain goes directly to the Bay. The SF Public Utilities Commission, Bay Area Air Quality Management District, and SF Department of Health all have jurisdiction over a single commercial wash job. This is not boilerplate — it’s the chapter your last vendor skipped.
Denise Okafor
“I spent four years at the SFPUC before joining Blast. I know exactly what the inspector is looking for — because I used to be the inspector.”
Stormwater recapture berm setup, 4th St. parking structure
Stormwater Recapture
All commercial wash water must be captured and disposed of via sanitary sewer — never storm drain. Failure: $1,000–$10,000 per incident.
Grease Interceptor Pre-Treatment
Restaurant apron wash water containing FOG (fats, oils, grease) must pass through a grease interceptor before entering the sewer system.
Detergent VOC Limits
Cleaning compounds used within Bay Area jurisdictions must comply with BAAQMD VOC caps. We use only certified low-VOC formulations.
Sidewalk Wash Hours
Commercial sidewalk washing permitted 6 PM–7 AM in most districts. SoMa entertainment zone has additional restrictions Fri–Sat.
Discharge Reporting
Any wash water discharge to state waters requires a Notice of Intent. Blast carries blanket NOI coverage for all SF job sites.
Compliance guarantee
Every Blast job includes a signed compliance checklist filed within 24 hours. Property managers receive a copy for their records. If a citation is issued due to our work, we cover the fine. No exceptions, no fine print.
Response-Time Logistics Across SF’s Seven Supervisorial Districts — and What 48 Hours Actually Means
A GC calling at 6 PM for a Friday punch-list close doesn’t need a quote form. They need a crew time, a route, and a name to put on the sub-contractor log. This is how Blast’s dispatch works, district by district.
Tom Vasquez
“I run two diesel rigs and two surface cleaner trailers. When I say 48 hours, I mean a crew is at your site within 48 hours of contract signature — not 48 hours of someone returning your email.”
↑ Response times from contract signature during normal business hours. After-hours dispatch available for preferred partners — add note in partner form below.
Crew Alpha rig, 5:15 AM pre-dispatch check — SoMa yard
Become a Blast Preferred Partner
Preferred partners receive guaranteed 48-hour dispatch, fixed quarterly pricing, a dedicated account contact, and compliance documentation on every job. We take on twelve new commercial partners per quarter — applications are reviewed in order of receipt.
Q1 2026 availability
We have 4 partner slots open in SoMa/Dogpatch and 3 in the Mission corridor. Richmond/Sunset slots fill last — apply early if that’s your district.
Download Our Scope & Pricing Template
A fill-in-the-blank Statement of Work you can hand directly to your procurement team or include in a bid package. Pre-populated with SF-specific line items: stormwater recapture, SFPUC compliance documentation, surface-type specifications, and standard access requirements. Saves three back-and-forth emails minimum.
What’s in the template
No phone call required. No sales follow-up unless you request it. Just the document.