Pressure Washing Tips For Beginners – Part 2

In a previous post we discussed pressure washing for beginners and offered information and advice on how to choose the right unit for the work at hand and discussed the differences in the many pressure washing units for sale and rent. In part 2 we are going to explore further some of the other things that a do-it-yourselfer will want to know prior to and during the pressure washing of their home or place of business.

Your Nozzle Of Choice

The size of the nozzle you use while pressure washing determines the angle of the water stream. You might not think it but this is important but it can affect the efficacy of water and even cause damage if you are not careful. Fortunately, nozzles are color coded for both the eager do-it-yourselfers out there as well as professionals.

Red Tip - Crimson colored nozzles indicate a zero degree angle. This nozzle produces a stream of water that can cause severe injury if misused and so great care should be taken when using this high powered nozzle. Never use a red nozzle when you intend to clean a surface up close.

Yellow Tip - Yellow pressure washing nozzles create a spray with a 15 degree angle. This type of nozzle is best utilized on concrete around homes and offices. Its hard edged spray can cause injury so again...be cautious with this one.

Green Tip - This nozzle is a wonderful all purpose type of nozzle. Producing a spray at a 25 degree angle, this nozzle can effectively clean cars, outdoor furniture, patios, decks, walkways, and of course brick. There are more specialized nozzles for all of the aforementioned jobs but this is a great nozzle of choice when you can't afford many different ones.

White Tip - White tipped pressure washing nozzles are one of the safest nozzles as they produce a 40 degree stream. This makes pressure washing safe for windows, siding, and other quasi-fragile surfaces. Although it is still dangerous to the human body, the spray from white pressure washing nozzles is more forgiving when accidents occur.

Black Tip - The most gentle pressure washing spray is produced by black nozzles. Shooting out at a 65 degree angle, the stream is light enough for all surfaces and is best used during the beginning and end of a job when you are either wetting a surface or applying protectants at the end of a job.

Miscellaneous Attachments

In addition to the many standard nozzles that are made for pressure washing, there also exists a number of attachments that make a job easier to complete and help produce better results. Consider any or all of the following when undertaking this type of work at your home or commercial building.

Surface Cleaner - This attachment is a spinning bar that helps distribute water over large areas. Using a surface cleaner attachment can save you a great deal of time by coating areas such as driveways or expansive walls in a fraction of the time it takes without one.

Rotary Nozzle - For obstinate stains, excessive build up, and even mold, a rotary nozzle is the way to go. These nozzles are sometimes referred to as turbo nozzles because they produce a harsh zero degree stream. It's hard spray removes the most problematic of debris from surfaces.

Pressure Washing Broom - This handy attachment takes the single jet of water leaving your pressure washer and splits it into two, three, or four powerful streams. This attachment is extremely useful in situations where you either want to clean a large area or multiple areas all at once.

Wand Extender - For those places on a home or building that are out of reach there is the wand extender. This attachment allows users to clean 2nd and 3rd story surfaces as well any others that may be just a bit or far out of reach. Expanding wands can add inches to feet to your reach.

Cleaning Solution Reservoir - These container-attachments allow you to add cleaning and protective solutions directly to both your pressure washing unit and its stream. When utilizing this attachment you'll want to remember to use a nozzle that doesn't produce too high a stream as it will force soap to the surface and then cause damage.

Getting Professional Help

Pressure washing can be a daunting and frustrating task when you lack the proper tools, experience, and time to be efficient. Never be afraid to contact a professional pressure washer when you find yourself in rut, frustrated, or when you are not seeing the type of results you'd like to see. Most professionals will gladly give you advice and point you in the right direction. Their services can also save you all the headache, hassle, and time that come along with this type of work.

Pressure Washing Tips For Beginners – Part 1

Pressure washing a home or commercial building is something that's best left to professionals as they utilize state of the art equipment and cleaning solutions and produce results that do-it-yourselfer's simply can not. This isn't to say that laypersons shouldn't pressure wash their own homes or places of business; quite the opposite in fact. Amateur pressure washers can do their buildings a lot of good with retail pressure washing rentals and some elbow grease though they should go into the task knowing that their equipment and efforts will not produce the same level results that the pro's do.

If you are the type of home or business owners whom doesn't want to hire a professional pressure washer or you simply can not afford one (it usually costs more to do it yourself), you'll want to keep the following tips in mind. They can help you work more efficiently, save you money, avoid injury, and will leave you more satisfied with the results of your hard work.

Green Hands

If you're new to pressure washing you are likely unaware that pressure washing units, even the smaller ones, can cause extensive damage to both property and the human body. Common injuries include burns, cuts from pressurized water, and chemical damage caused by cleaning solutions. To avoid injury to your person or home spend some time doing a bit of homework. The internet contains countless articles on how to safely operate pressure washers. Do-it-yourselfer's can even find a plethora of videos on sites such as YouTube. Reading and/or watching "how to" information can keep you and your home safe.

Gas Or Electric?

There are many different types of retail grade pressure washers available for both rent and purchase. The two main types are gas and electric and can both have their pros and cons. Pressure washers powered by gasoline produce higher levels of pressure, utilize water a bit more efficiently, and allow users to clean surfaces much quicker. Sounds great right? Well before you get to excited you will want to keep in mind that gas powered washers require a great deal of maintenance. This isn't so much a problem when you are renting a unit, though it can be, but before you purchase one be prepared to change the motor's oil frequently, add fuel additives during refueling, and purchase protective coverings for its time in storage.

Electric pressure washers are an eco-friendly choice for the environmentally conscience as they produce no harmful emissions. Being that the engine runs on electricity there are also no gas and oil costs. Maintenance is virtually non existent as electric motors are usually housed in very protective casing. On the downside, electric pressure washers just aren't as powerful nor nearly as efficient as their gas powered brethren. This means that you will spend longer on cleaning and may be less satisfied with the results.

Is Bigger Better?

Once you have settled on either a gas or electric powered pressure washer you will need to select the right size unit for the job. People automatically tend to lean toward larger appliances because bigger often implies greater strength and ability though this isn't always the case. In the case of pressure washers the size of the engine does indeed determine it's total power but that doesn't necessarily mean you need something sizable. Pressure washers are manufactured to address 4 main types of work. Those being light, medium, heavy, and extra heavy duty.

• Light duty units produce less than 2000 psi and are perfect for small decks, patios, and smaller pieces of outdoor furniture.

• Medium duty pressure washers are a great choice for persons whom want to clean their buildings siding, driveways, fencing, or brick walls. These mid sized washers are capable of producing pressure levels between 2000 and 2800 PSI.

• Heavy duty pressure washing machines are built to address the needs of large concrete areas and for those who need to clean the walls of a multi-storied dwelling. The output of heavy duty units usually falls in the 2900 to 3300 PSI range.

Extra heavy duty pressure washers are also known as professional grade pressure washers. While these tend to be very expensive and unavailable for rent their cost is well justified. The minimum PSI produced in these types of units is 3300 which means they can and will clean any and all surfaces. Parking garages, gutters, stucco walls, walkways, and brick are all left looking wonderful with the least amount of physical effort. Graffiti and mold are also easily removed from a home or business' exterior surfaces with this type of machine.

If you're a home or business owner who is considering doing a little pressure washing be sure to spend some time, prior to the work, learning how to use pressure washing hardware. Take your time in choosing the right unit for your home or office and when in doubt never hesitate to contact a professional. Many will happily help you make good decisions.

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