Pressure washing is a process that uses high-pressure water to remove loose paint, mold, dirt and grime from outdoor surfaces.
Most people regularly pressure wash their homes and concrete, usually every one or two years. This method of cleaning can keep your home looking good as new, but it can also make surfaces such as siding and concrete last longer!
It can also be used on many other things like cars, trucks and boats as well.
While pressure washing alone cleans many surfaces well, most modern pressure washers use a newer technique called “soft washing”, where they include chemical and soap mixes into their pressure wash. This allows the chemical solutions to clean your home thoroughly, without risking the use of excess pressure.
What Is The Difference Between Pressure Washing vs. Power Washing
Pressure washing and power washing are very similar concepts.
They are both meant to clean exterior surfaces, however, the one difference between the two is power washing uses hot water along with high pressure to perform the cleaning, while pressure washing uses mostly pressure and regular temperature water to clean.
This very small difference has a huge impact on what each type of machine is used for.
Most often you will see a power washer used on outdoor surfaces as the heat effectively removes deeper stains that a regular pressure washer can’t get to. It’s best for removing things like grease stains on your driveway or sidewalk, oil stains, and any other stains that are liquid-based.
What Can You Pressure Wash?
Before deciding on what you can power wash always check and look at what PSI the surface you want to pressure wash can withstand. A little research beforehand will save you time and money from the potential damages that too much pressure can cause.
As long as you do your research beforehand, you’ll find that most exterior surfaces can be cleaned with the right pressure and tools.
Here is a list of the most commonly pressure washed surfaces:
- Siding (Vinyl, Wood, Stucco)
- Concrete
- Wooden Decks and Fences
- Brick
- Stone
- Gutters
While pressure washing at the right PSI will yield the best result for most of these surfaces, some stains may need extra care. Cleaning surfaces such as “painted wood”, “black gutter streaks”, and “rust stains” will require chemical cleaners and a stiff bristle brush.
Is Pressure Washing Safe?
Pressure washing is a safe and effective way to clean your exterior surfaces, but only if you are careful. Careless use of a pressure washer, much like any other machine, can cause damage to you, others or your property.
Almost all the injuries associated with pressure washing can be avoided.
The Dangers Of Pressure Washing
Pressure washing can be very dangerous. It can cause some serious injuries that can lead to life changing injuries.
- Pressure washers can easily cut through layers of skin.
- Some pressure washers can crack stone, concrete and stucco.
- You can easily blow debris into the air, hitting you and others around.
- Pressure washers can destroy fixtures around your home such as lamps and outlets
How To Pressure Wash Safely
When it comes to pressure washing safely, most of it should be common sense but some of these mistakes happen more than you would think.
- Always wear closed-toed shoes when operating a pressure washer
- Use safety glasses when necessary to protect your eyes from debris.
- Be aware of where your pressure washer wand is aimed.
- Adjust the pressure on your machine to match the pressure the surface can handle.
- Make sure others are cleared from the area you are working on, and that children and pets are not nearby.
Although there are inherent risks with using a pressure washer, these safety tips should make it easy for you to get the job done, without damaging your property, or hurting anyone.
What Type Of Pressure Washer Is Right For Me?
Now that you know how to safely pressure wash, you may be wondering which pressure washing machine is right for me.
For most people, an electric pressure washer will get 99% of the work done.
However, if you have the money and if your property is much bigger than the regular American household, you may want to go with a gas pressure washer that has much higher gallons per minute (GPM) than an electric pressure washer.
The reason for this is because the higher the gallons per minute (GPM) the faster you can pressure wash, this is because there is more water flowing into the machine and more water coming out of the machine causing all the water flow to the nozzles to be much larger and more consistent.
Gas pressure washers
Gas pressure washers are typically more expensive than most people would like to spend on a pressure washer, but the benefits outweigh the costs.
Typically with a gas pressure washer, you can get more work done at a faster pace, not only because you can easily refill the tank back up once you run out of gas, but because of all of the pumps that come with a gas pressure washer.
Pumps that you see on a gas pressure washer are the sole reason why gas pressure washers are more efficient than electric pressure washers.
When looking for a gas pressure washer, it’s best to look for gallons per minute (GPM) in the 2.5 – 4 GPM range as this will deliver the best performance.
Electric power washers
The other most popular option is the electric pressure washer. These are powered by electric motors which either are battery operated or use an adaptor cord to supply power from an outlet from your home.
They’re typically much less powerful than gas engines. However, they are very quiet and produce no exhaust fumes or carbon emissions, making them great for use around children or pets.
For most people who only want to do small home projects, an electric pressure washer will easily get all of that work done for you.
The Future Of Pressure Washing
The future of power washing is looking bright.
With the industry growing rapidly, new technologies are being developed every day to make pressure washing more efficient for homeowners and businesses.
Power washing is an effective way to clean your home or business, but it can also be dangerous if not done properly. It’s important to use the proper products, equipment, and training in order to ensure that you’re not endangering yourself or your property when you’re cleaning it.
If you’re considering getting a power washing job done on your home or business, make sure that you do your research first so that you choose a company with experience in this industry and who will treat your property with respect.
How Superpower Wash Can help you
Here at Superpower Wash, we value your home which is why our professional power washers clean your exterior surface using a safe and effective cleaning strategy utilizing low pressure and allowing cleaning detergents to do most of the work for us. Making your home look brand new again and not having the risk of potential pressure washing damages.
Call or request a free online quote to get your home cleaned by the super power washers!
