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First spray water onto the house in a medium-spray pattern to rinse its surface. Then apply the detergent in a wide-nozzle setting and allow it to sit for a few minutes before rinsing it with water. Learning how to pressure wash a house is an effective way to ensure your house looks its best, especially if you want to prepare it for a fresh coat of paint.
The Dos and Don’ts of Pressure-Washing
Pressure washing is an efficient way to clean vinyl sidings. However, before you pressure wash, cover up any nearby plants. This will protect them from damage caused by the force of the water and the cleaning chemicals.
Spray the House
To pick the perfect pressure washer for home use, look at the materials and surfaces you wish to clean. In the following section, we will look at how much PSI you need to clean different parts of your house efficiently. You’ll pay anywhere from $0.10 to $1 per square foot for commercial pressure washing, while residential costs about $0.50 per square foot. Commercial pressure washing can be more expensive, since it often involves hard-to-reach spots on tall buildings and difficult roofs. The cost to rent a pressure washer ranges from $45 to $250 per day, depending on the size and whether its gas or electric.
Put on Safety Gear
We appreciated not just the fact that the Sun Joe was relatively quiet for a pressure washer but also its supreme effectiveness. Its different nozzles allow for more or less pressure, depending on the surface being cleaned, making it easy to hit the perfect power for each specific job. After using this washer on our fence and walkway, we noticed a big improvement in their appearance. To reduce a pressure washer’s PSI, increase your distance from the material you’re cleaning or switch nozzles. Nozzles with a greater angle degree have a lower PSI because the water is less concentrated.
Best Pressure Washers (2024 Guide)
The 8 Best Electric Pressure Washers of 2024, According to Testing - Better Homes & Gardens
The 8 Best Electric Pressure Washers of 2024, According to Testing.
Posted: Fri, 02 Feb 2024 08:00:00 GMT [source]
Apply it with a spray bottle, gently brush the area, and rinse with clean water. For instance, delicate materials like painted wood need a lower PSI to avoid damage, so starting around 500 PSI is usually best and working up to prevent damage. Replace rotten boards and renail loose ones before pressure washing, so you don’t drive water through the siding and into the wall. Here's how to pressure wash your whole house so that the new coat of exterior paint will stick better and last longer. On the other hand, professionals charge anywhere from 10 to 80 cents per square foot to pressure wash a home. If you’re thinking of hiring the job out, estimate your square footage before you start making calls.
Factors That Affect the Cost of Pressure Washing a House
The DEWALT 4,400-PSI Gas Pressure Washer (our best for concrete) is one such tool. The Pro 2300-PSI has a brushless motor that delivers 1.2 gpm on the 2,300-psi setting but can deliver as much as 2.3 gpm on a low setting of 100 psi. That, along with the five included nozzles, gives you maximum versatility to tailor your cleaning to the surface being washed. Go lower pressure on patio furniture, cars, and siding, and turn up the pressure for tough stains on pavement and concrete.
DeWalt DWPW2100 2100 Max PSI Electric Jobsite Cold Water Pressure Washer
Though they’re not always needed, detergents can increase cleaning effectiveness while reducing cleaning time. When renting or buying a pressure washer, inquire what accessories and detergents are available for it. To prevent damage to the internal parts, never run bleach in the machine or use detergents not designated for use in pressure washers.
If you’ve used detergent, make sure to rinse your house thoroughly. Any residue left behind can interfere with the new paint adhering properly. Think of it as preparing a canvas for painting; it needs to be clean and smooth. For houses with more than two stories, setting up scaffolding is a smart move. It’s safer than using a ladder (which we never recommend), as the force of the water can throw off your balance.
Sun Joe 2030-PSI Electric Pressure Washer With Hose Reel
We then used it to wash a car and a stained concrete driveway, both with great results. While powerful, the device washed the car beautifully without any damage, knocking off bugs at the first spray and leaving the car clean and shiny with the second pass. A discolored spot on the driveway came clean immediately after we put the sprayer close enough to the cement. If we could change anything, we wish that the soap-pick up line (detergent tank) was built into the unit and self-contained so it was easier to move the unit when using soap. But that aside, at this price point, we think it's an excellent choice for many different types of tasks, especially for cleaning flat surfaces.
So, investing in one is a good idea if you plan to use it regularly – and you should. The power of your pressure washer is measured in PSI (Pounds per Square Inch) and GPM (Gallons Per Minute). A machine with a higher GPM is more powerful than a machine with more PSI and lower GPM. If you intend to refinish or repaint the outside of your home, a thorough power washing session can help ensure that the new paint lasts for a long time and looks great. Regular pressure cleaning will remove grime and dirt and reveal imperfect areas that need your attention. Repair costs for small scrapes, dings, or other such damage are more manageable than major repairs or replacements.
It’s such a long (and annoying) process that we had to fully crouch down to avoid the onset of back pain when we tried to do this from a bent-over position. We also didn’t like how the DWPW2400’s wand holder hardly works at all. The spray wand seemed to fall off every time we touched the washer. The DeWalt DWPW2400 has the same roll-bar design, with a padded handle and a low center of gravity. The clearly labeled nozzles are stored at the handle, and the cord has the same smart placement of the GFCI brick. The controls are intuitive, as are the connection points for the hoses.
Some insurers will cancel your coverage or raise your premium should they spot moss growth, because it’s a liability. A pressure washer's force is measured in psi, or pounds per square inch. However, that doesn’t mean you should simply buy the highest psi machine you can find. Depending on how you intend to use your pressure washer, a lower psi may be perfect for your needs. Many of the reviewers we looked at said that this pressure washer worked better than their former gas-powered unit. However, some customers said it didn’t deliver the advertised amount of pressure, and some said it leaked.
Rub the surface with a clean glove to make sure the chalk comes off. Thoroughly spray a section of a single floor of your home with the mildewcide solution. Starting from the bottom of the section and working your way up, gently but firmly scour the siding with a soft siding brush. If you pressure wash your house yourself and you already own a pressure washer and safety gear, the primary cost will often be the price of the detergent.
Pressure washing driveways, sidewalks, walkways, and parking garages can get rid of mold, greasy buildup, and other substances that make the surface slippery. Cleaning these surfaces reduces the chances of slips and accidental injuries to everyone using them. Layers of dirt and grime can hide details of your home’s exterior.
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