Pressure washers.

[cory]

Ok. I've never used one and I have a funny feeling I may be the only person here in that boat. .

After seeing all the pollen and dust I wipe off my trucks in the spring, it occurred to me, duh, that all this same gnarsty pollen must be on my house.

Was thinking of getting a pressure washer but having never used one figured I'd reach out here first.

 

[lxskllr]

Gas is better than electric, and you usually get what you pay for. First step is determining if you really need a pressure washer. Does the house really look that bad? Will a garden hose suffice? If you have a pressure washer, you can find plenty of things to clean. On the other side, you'll have plenty of things to clean. Does it really look better, or is it just a different shade of $color? You might be getting yourself into a job that doesn't end ;^)

 

[Tree09]

Both are handy as can be. Electric is nice for washing vehicles, lower pressure but is a super handy and easy to use, even my wife does it all the time for different stuff. A good gas one is amazing, but they aren't cheap and are harder to move around, not a big deal for some but is for others depending on how big it is. You can do far more than just cleaning stuff, with a shop vac you have a redneck hydroexcavator, I've done that trick a bunch digging around stuff. My mailbox, a bunch of flowers at client's houses, digging post holes, etc. Some people use them as a wet sandblaster, I've used them for high pressure hydro testing, and more. Do remember even the smallest one will amputate/ horrifically injure stuff instantly, so treat them seriously.

 

[cory]

Good input fellas, thanks.

Good note re wifey, she's interested, maybe I'll start with electric.

Lol redneck hydroexcavator.

Do ya have to kinda 'try' for those injuries? If it can happen instantly I'm surprised we don't hear more about them

 

[CurSedVoyce]

Had tonpressure wash two driveways so far. Glad I had a gas one.
I have an electric in the shop for light duty.
Ist driveway was when my tranny blew pulling the mini out of a back yard after the motor blew.
Second time, it was part of the bid. Very sticky sappy tree. Cypress. Clean up sucked, but, it helped pay for the washer.

 

[SkwerI]

I have an electric one. I thought it was ok when I bought it, but in reality it's a piece of crap. I'd throw it away except that it still works. It has tanks for adding cleaners but then the manual tells you that most cleaners will eat the pump apart and you can only use their specific branded cleaners. Definitely can't use bleach. And the cord makes it impossible to use in half the places I'd like to use it.

 

[stikine]

I've got both an electric and a gas powered unit. The electric is a bit more handy to move around but I bring out the 3400 psi gas unit to clean boats, barnacles, driveway and deck slime.

 

[flushcut]

A pressure waher is real handy.

 

[stikine]

that must be a Wisco spelling for washer eh?

 

[Tree09]

Like sharks with blood in the water lol.

 

[lumberjack]

I have electric, gas, and gas with diesel/kerosine heater.

The electric is ok for light or quick jobs.

Gas is cheaper than gas with a heater.

Gas with a heater can do anything the others can do plus more, at the expense of cost and weight.

Gas with heater is used the most.

 

[Marc-Antoine]

I have an electric one. Mine isn't enough to really clean a car. Most of the dirt and organic is blasted away, but it leaves a very thin layer of crud on the paint, like a greyish tone. Even very near of the nozel, that stay's there, but wipe gently the surface with the hand and it goes away. Strange.
Not enough omph to clean a body but way too much for other things. Careful with the gaskets of all sort, the engines, the electric box/somethings, the paint beginning to flake off, the wood (it removes the grey color by digging out the surface fibers), the tender stones, the weak concrete and the interlocking bricks. For the last cases, the presure takes away the tinny particles and leaves a rougher surface, easier to dirty and makes a welcoming support for the microscopic organismes ( the black / red / green veil covering everything left outside).

Never spray toward someone, pets or yourself and wear safty googles, as the water under presure likes to shot back at you in every surface's defects deep enough and in the concave corners. Taking the water blast in the face isn't funny in itself, but it comes with the grit removed from the cleaned surface. Very annoying in the eyes to say the least.

 

[pantheraba]

A work neighbor let me use their hotsy once. It provided high pressure, heated water. They were a forklift repair shop and regularly had to clean forklift trucks. Only used it one time but it was awesome. I had just gotten my granddaddy's 1953 Case tractor and brought it up from the farm and used that hotsy for about 3 hours to clean off decades of gunk. It was a huge help.

 

[flushcut]

that must be a Wisco spelling for washer eh?

Nah it's my dumb phone and fat thumb. My computer took a shit, old age I guess. And for the record the Wisco spelling is "worsher". Come on get real I have to dumb it down typing here so you folks can understand me.