Pressure Cleaning

When you need to get tough on dirt or grime, or to simply strip a exterior of its paint, pressure cleaning is exactly what the home doctor ordered. With this machine you can take moss off of shingles, strip coating off wood, or even remove the gas stains off a driveway. You also have the option of buying, renting, or hiring a professional to power wash your home. Below are a loosely based pricing range (2):

• 

  Electric Rental: $110 - $282

• 

  Gas Rental: $150 - $348

• 

  Rental with a pro: $300 - $410

• 

  Electric Purchase: $130 - $582

• 

  Gas Purchase: $550 - $1,100

Gas vs. Electric

Essentially it comes down to how heavy-duty you need your washer to be. Both types have their pros and cons (3). Most jobs can be handled by an electric washer. This lighter model is cheaper, stores better, and doesn't need to be winterized. It can handle a wide majority of pressure washing jobs. They can cost anywhere from $110 - $340. Otherwise, for more intense labor, a gasoline powered one is heartily recommended. These heavy duty units can quite literally peel paint of a wooden siding. The larger washers also are bulkier, loud, and brutally efficient. These types will cost around $500 and up.

Different Nozzles

There are also a few different nozzles to help you through your pressure cleaning endeavors. Each nozzle is focused at a certain degree angle (or lack thereof) to help give you a few options when it comes to cleaning (4). A pack of nozzles will typically go for around $20 depending on what you get. Otherwise take the following advice from the description down below (5):

• • 40 degrees - For delicate jobs and old structures
• • 25 degrees - Normal tasks
• • 15 degrees - Heavy stripping/cleaning jobs
• • 0 degrees - Cleaning oil off asphalt (Can break skin)
• • No nozzle/low pressure - Adds cleaning agents to stream

Power Washing vs Pressure Cleaning

Essentially the two terms are technically interchangeable. It wasn't always this way though. When they first arrived on the scene, power washers were different from pressure washers in that power referred to their reliance on hot water to effectively clean. Pressure washing focused mostly on highly pressurized water. Over the years the two items became somewhat interchangeable. Nowadays we call washers that use heat "hot water pressure washers" (6).

Roof

Certainly one of the most common reasons any homeowner opts to have a pressure cleaning unit (even if only temporarily) is the machine's unique ability to scrape off an otherwise perfect roof. Much sought after for their moss removal abilities, power washing a roof can potentially add years onto the roof's structural lifespan. Not only can this remove harmful mold or mildew polluting the roofing material, it also cleans out the potential debris or plant life piling up. Roof pressure cleaning is a great way to clear off your roof and continue to enjoy its looks and benefits. Remember not to aim the pressure washer against the grain of your shingles (7). As this may cause damage.

History - The Hypressure Jenny

While technically falling into the "steam cleaner" category, Mr. Frank W. Ofeldt II's Hypressure Jenny was invented in 1927. Although this was the product of several generations of steam powered products, the first hot water heater paved the way for the first power washing system to be invented (8). The Ofeldt name became synonymous with steam powered cleaning technology and the Jenny products remain in circulation today.

PWNA

The Power Washers of North America foundation was started in 1992. It was dedicated to developing and communicating the highest standards in environmental awareness, ethical business practices, and safety through continued education (9). The PWNA is very interested in keeping the ethical integrity of the power washing community not just credible, but revered. That's what it's always important to ask a professional for certified credentials.

References

1. "Best Pressure Washer Spray Tips and Nozzles". Pressure Washer Power. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
2. "Pressure Washer Rental - Here's The Costs To Hire a Power Washer". Pressure Washr. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
3. "Pressure Washer Buying Guide". Consumer Report. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
4. Calabrese , Diane."Nozzles: Your Basic Questions Answered". Cleaner Times. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
5. "Pressure Washer Tip Guide". Portland Compressor. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
6. "Power Washers Vs. Pressure Washers". Pressure Washer Critics. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
7. Teitelbaum, Brian."Pressure Washing a Roof". Pressure Washers Direct. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
8. "Frank Ofeldt Inventor of the Hypressure Steam Cleaner". Jenny Products. Retrieved 29 August 2017.
9. "About the Power Washers of North America". PWNA. Retrieved 29 August 2017.