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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