Pressure Washing: Uses, Pros, & Cons

What Is Pressure Washing?

A pressure washer or power washer is a high-pressure mechanical sprayer or machine used to remove sloppy paint, mold, grime, grease, dust, mud, and dirt from a building’s exterior and objects such as vehicles, and concrete surfaces. The unit for the volume of a pressure washer is expressed in gallons or liters per minute. The pressure is expressed in pounds per square inch, pascals, or bar is outlined into the pump but can be changed by adjusting the unloader valve. 

The water supply must be suitable for the pressure washer connected to it, as water shortage will lead to vacuum and damage to the pump objects. Make sure your water source must provide the gallons per minute the pump requires quickly.

The basic pressure washer consists of a motor that can be electric, internal combustion, pneumatic, or hydraulic. The motor drives a high-pressure water pump, a high-pressure jet, and a gun-style switch. 

Some washers, with a suitable nozzle, also allow detergents or cleaning agents to be introduced into the water stream, aiding the cleaning process. 

Washers are vicious tools and should be handled with due regard to safety measures. The pressure near the nozzle is powerful enough to pierce flesh from bone. Particles in the water supply are emitted from the nozzle at much greater velocities. The cleaning process can propel objects removed from the surface being cleaned, which are also at great velocities. Pressure washers tend to adjourn the grooves if aimed directly at them, due to high-pressure water entering crevices and voids in the surface.

Gas-powered washers can provide twice that pressure than electric ones, but due to the dangerous attributes of the engine exhaust, they are not suitable for closed areas or indoor surfaces. 

Difference between Power Washing vs Pressure Washing

As far as the water pressure is in the count, both machines use a similar load of pressure. How much pressure is required depends on the machine type; a household unit won’t offer up as much power as an industrial application.

If we’re talking precisely about the types of machines used, there is one prime element that distinguishes a power washer from a pressure washer: a heating element. Both machines provide powerful jets of high-pressure water, but a power washer can heat the water. Power heating makes a huge difference.

What Does a Pressure Washer Do?

A Pressure washer either gas or electrical uses a high-pressure washing system to clean dust, debris, and grease from hard surfaces. A pressure washer inspects the water supply, maintains secure pressure washer handling operations remove rubble from the work zone. He also ensures that the water pressure is suitable for surface preparation, sideway cleaning, and building repairs. Pressure Washers also use high-pressure water streams to clean walkways, driveways, and pools usually for commercial purposes. Although they more frequently do water cleaning and washing, pressure washers run machines that contain chemicals to remove the resistant fabric.

When Can I Use Pressure Washing?

Power washing is used for cleaning different surfaces. Some examples include:

• Home roofing
• Driveways, walkways, and parking lots
• Concrete steps
• Front pathways of homes
• Home or building exteriors
• Garage floors
• Windows
• Outdoor furniture
• Grills
• Gutters
• Fences
• Cars and trucks

Uses

At extreme pressure, water is used for many industrial cleaning purposes requiring the extraction of surface coatings and for dust-free cutting and shaping of certain metals and concrete. For exterior applications, gas-powered washers give greater mobility than electric washers. Gas-powered washers do not require use in the vicinity of an electrical outlet. For indoor applications, electric washers produce no drain and are much quieter than gas washers. 

The majority of modern-day pressure washers connect to an existing water supply, like a garden hose. Some models also store water in an attached tank. Normally, there is an on/off button that controls the water flow and many models allow you to adjust the stream.

Benefits of Pressure Washing for Home/Business

Pressure washing provides complete, deep cleaning which is much more important than you think. Good cleaning prevents damage to your property.

Now let’s dive into why you need pressure washing for your home or business.

Prevents damage

Dirt, dust, smut, and other pollutants that build up on your building or outdoor objects can cause corrosion. They not only destroy paint, concrete, and other surface coatings, but they can also cause damage to the materials beneath.

The damage not only affects surfaces but the interior of your walls can also be exposed to moisture and other invaders. These invaders cause serious issues with the structure of the building and cause discomfort.

Grease and other substances also tend to pile up in the small crevices that every building carries. Pressurized washing removes dirt, dust, grease, and other materials from your surfaces. 

Saves time and energy

You may be assured that cleaning your building’s exterior is important. The amount of time, money, and effort you secure with a pressure washer, instead of cleaning your homes or buildings manually, is truly majestic.

The time it would take to pressure wash your entire building depends on a lot of factors. These factors include the size of your property, the number of people washing, and how easily accessible all parts of the exterior are. But, it won’t be unfair to say that even a large house could be completed within a few hours.

Cleaner is safer

Good hygiene is vital to maintaining our health. Many people don’t perceive that the cleanliness of the exterior of homes and workplaces can impact the health and safety of our families or employees.

Dirt and grease hips provide the ideal breeding ground for bacteria and fungi, which are famous for spreading diseases. And, if the damage is allowed to spread all around, it can leave the interior of your building prone to spores that cause illness.

Pressurized washing removes the danger of disease-causing bacteria and creates a less hospitable environment for infections. 

Boost curb appeal

Pressure washing is not all about appearances, but it also bears raising that it can dramatically affect the appearance of your home and business.

There is always a huge visual difference between before and after pressure washing. If you have a brick walkover covered in grease and dirt, you might not even know what color they genuinely show until after they get a cool wash. 

Curb appeal is decisive for homes, but it’s dominant for businesses. A lot of people will judge the quality or services of the good by the outlook of your building. So enhancing the curb appeal of your commercial property can boost your business.

Increases your property value

If you want to sell your home, you are possibly looking for ways to increase its sale value. Pressurized washing is a cheap and efficient way to do just that. When potential buyers show up and see a deep coating of dirt and dust on everything, they consider your home in poor condition and not worth much. But if the first thing they see is clean, blush surfaces that look pretty new, they’ll have no reason to reject it.

Primes surface for renovation

Before you start renovations or restorations on the exterior of your home or business, it is always a great idea to get it washed first.

You know that you cannot just pat paint down on a grimy surface. Besides basic cleaning and washing, pressurized washing is also capable of removing sloppy or peeling paint as well. It leaves you with a smooth, even, and primed surface.

Environmental friendly

Pressure washing can be hard on the surroundings for some reasons. A pressure washer uses a lot of water and it can imply soap and other harmful cleaning chemicals that aren’t good for the soil. It can rinse dirt, grease, and other contaminants onto the ground.

Hire a professional who will take care to minimize the environmental impact with techniques that reduce water usage as possible. It saves not only the soil and plants nearby but also wild animals that can consume pressure washer run-off. 

Avoid damage to surfaces

Though pressure washing is a dominant way to prevent damage from smut and dirt hype, pressure washers themselves can cause harm to surfaces. This is because pressure washers provide a range of pressures. First, you need to know the absolute settings to use on the material you’re washing. Otherwise, you will cause scratches, piercing, or worse with the washer itself.

Avoid injuring yourself

The amount of pressure is great for surfaces coming out of a pressure washer. Avoid pleasantly applying it to human flesh. Accidentally pointing pressure at yourself with the jet from a pressure washer can cause serious, horrifying injuries. There is always a chance of slipping and hurting yourself or falling from a ladder while trying to reach onerous spots.

Precautions

1. Do not point a pressure washer at others or yourself.
2. Never try to propel or move objects with spray from the washer.
3. Do not use a gasoline-powered washer in a closed space.  
4. Test the ground circuit breaker or outlet before using a pressure washer.
5. Always plug a properly grounded pressure washer into a properly grounded receptacle.
6. Keep the pressure washer’s power cord connection out of the water if you are also using a pressure washer extension cord. Try to use a heavy-duty extension cord with components that can be used in wet locations. Keep both the power cord and extension cord connections as far away as possible from standing water or runoff.
7. Wear rubber-soled shoes that provide insulation and keep you safe when using the pressure washer.
8. Never cut or mesh the washer’s power cord.
9. Always allow an experienced electrician to check the pressure washer for electrical problems after it has tripped over or in case of a circuit breaker.
10. Keep children away from operating a pressure washer. Keep children at a  distance when using a pressure washer.

Drawbacks of Pressure Washers

Pressure washers can get things clean, but they have a few drawbacks too:

1. They use a lot of water and this water needs to move away speedily. So you will need quality drainage where you’re working. Otherwise, the area can be flooded. 
2. They are noisy. If that’s probably a problem for you, look for quieter models.
3. They make everything around you very dirty by exploding filth all around. Carefully choose the direction in which you’ll be working to minimize the cleaning up you’ll do later. Avoid making much mess, and be sure to use waterproof, protective shoes.
4. Though pressure washers are insulated and very secure to use, there’s always a danger of using electricity near water. 
5. Pressure washers are blunt instruments, not always fit for cleaning delicate installations and fittings. When used the wrong way, they can impair wooden decking and stab the exhausting seals of old windows. It makes them prone to leaking.