A power washer (or pressure washer) is one of the most versatile pieces of equipment you can buy for the outdoors. Homes and businesses use them for a variety of different uses every day, and although a niche item they are usually worth the small upfront investment which is only a fraction more costly than power washer rental for a weekend.
One of the most popular uses for a power washer is to clean your driveway and sidewalks. As time goes on dirt and dust get packed onto these surfaces, and this build-up can be difficult to remove via conventional cleaning methods. What used to be an off-white becomes a dull gray color that just isn’t as attractive. Some people don’t really notice or care about this degradation, but for those who take care of their outside areas, a good power washer will help tremendously.
The areas around pools are usually some type of concrete or tiling that needs regular washing. As time goes on and pool water gets splashed onto the side, large amounts of chlorine build up and can deteriorate the surface. By using a power washer regularly to clean these areas, the surface will stay a brilliant white and the surface will last much longer, requiring less ongoing maintenance.
Another common use of power washers is to strip the old paint or mold from fences, porches, or siding. Because these are wooden surfaces that can degrade very quickly if not taken care of, it makes sense to regularly clean and re-paint or stain these areas. That is why it is very common for painters to own their own machines. They will consistently find themselves using one, so it makes sense to buy their own instead of rent one.
Did you know that a lot of people wash their cars using a power washer? Even though you might think this can damage the car, it is generally very safe. The only time you should be careful is if you are using an extremely powerful washer and holding it too close to the car, or if you have excessive rust and corrosion around your car body – in cases like this extra care should be taken as the extreme pressure generated by your power washer can actually punch through weakened body panels where rust has become chronic.
The reason this is much better than just using a regular hose is because the pressure is blasting off most of the dirt before you even apply the soap. If you use a use a regular hose, there is very little pressure so you are more reliant on the soap to wash away the grime.
Even though you can hire companies to come in and do your pressure washing for you, it is generally recommended to purchase your own machine. They are relatively inexpensive, and will almost always pay for themselves the very first time you use it. Hiring a business to come in can easily cost several hundred dollars, so why not do the task yourself and save a bit of money?
There are several places where you can purchase your power washer. If you are going to order it online, a great place to look is the usual suspect of Amazon.com. They offer a lot of models and reasonable prices, and in many cases shipping will be free. If however you don’t want to wait for shipping and are looking around in the local area, consider stores such as Home Depot and Lowe’s. These outlets will generally have a number of different models of power washer and you can take it home the same day you buy it, plus returns are easier should anything go wrong.