Spring is coming and your house and driveway look dirty.
Like many, you’ve wondered if you should go to your local hardware store and buy your own power washer. The question is, do home pressure washers really get the job done and can they clean parts of your house, driveway, and other concrete and asphalt clean enough to justify the purchase?
Here is my unequivocal answer … Maybe yes and maybe no.
I am not a politician, so why the lack of response? Well, it doesn’t just depend on the machine, but your skills and whether your investment is worth the cost.
So let’s start with the first part of the question:
Will pressure washers you can get locally will do the job? The type of machine and their ratings help determine what they can and cannot do.
Types of machines available:
1. The cute little electric zappo 1000 for a hundred dollars or less. My advice is, unless you want to spend hours doing a job that could be done in minutes, forget about these little ones, wash with not much more than hose pressure machines. Yes, they are electric and they don’t burn gas, but they are practically useless, even if all you want to do is wash your car.
2. Household 1200-1500 psi gas powered machines, in the $ 200 + range and designed for small jobs. They typically come equipped with a small variety of nozzles, a 15 to 20 foot hose with couplers, and sometimes a soap injection setup.
These units generally have enough pressure to wash the siding and clean many household jobs, but are not really suitable for deep cleaning driveways or concrete pads. With the right chemicals and soaps, you can do a decent job cleaning your deck and siding.
3. The so-called “commercial pressure washers”. These are not true commercial grade and would not stand up to the daily use required in a commercial pressure washing business, but they can handle larger jobs around the house.
requiring more pressure and more volume. These range from, for example, 1800 to 3000 psi and are consequently more expensive.
At the 3000 psi extreme, they can be effective on driveways, as well as siding and decking.
4. True commercial quality machines. These pressure washers generally require a gasoline or diesel engine capable of producing 11-16 horsepower so they can drive large, high-volume, high-pressure pumps. They are typically 3000 psi or higher, and where in a small machine they can produce a gallon per minute of water at their rated pressure, the large ones can expel 3-5 and even 11 gallons per minute. And the price is significantly higher, from $ 2,000 to more than $ 10,000.
These have all the power you need to tackle any job and will last a long time if taken care of.
Now let’s tackle the second part of the question. Does the investment justify the purchase?
Let’s ask ourselves some questions.
1. What am I using a pressure washer for and how often will I use it?
If, like my neighbor, you simply want a small machine that cuts the cost of car washes, then option # 2 above is a good option. You can also do small jobs around your home, like lining and flushing your wooden or concrete deck.
Warning! Make sure you know what you are doing before attempting to clean your siding or other building envelopes. Accidentally forcing pressurized water under your siding can cause mold and mildew, rotting your home from the inside out and potentially causing health problems.
2. How much would it cost to hire a professional to do that job? How long would it take and how much is my time worth?
If you like work and have the time, many home jobs are doable. Just make sure you really are going to do them. Check your local buy-sell and see how many people have “almost new” and “never used” pressure washers for sale.
One project that I don’t recommend is deep cleaning your driveway. This is a very time consuming process, it requires a good, powerful machine and the ability not to get bored easily. If you’re going too fast, you’ll have the privilege of having the neighborhood’s first or zebra-striped ticket. Old, dirty and mossy concrete and asphalt is a must leave for the professional pressure washing company.
So to answer the question, is it worth doing your own pressure washing at home? It depends on what you want to do, how much time you have, your skill level, and how much money you can afford compared to the cost of professional help.
Small jobs are great for do-it-yourself projects and are generally too small to be hired profitably. But big jobs like driveways are probably not a good bet. If you decide to buy your own machine, get
the best you can afford. It will allow you to do a better and faster job and expand what you can do.
Hire the professionals for the larger or combination jobs like doing driveway, sidewalks, deck, and perhaps removing moss and algae from walls and sheltered areas. Professionals can do it faster and better and most can supply or recommend materials to make the clean last
longer and remove mold.
Here’s spring and a beautiful home and driveway!
