Folks,

I'm thinking of picking up a pressure washer. Lots of concrete to clean. Need to clean off the house to paint it. That sort of thing. Anyone with btdt? TIA.

kim.

Get one that has atleast 2000psi but not more than 3000psi. Get some good ladders too, as everything that gets wet is slippery and you will fall!. With too high a pressure you will blast the siding off the house or cut groves in it. Too low (ie 1500) is waay too slow and weak. The gas ones with a Honda motor are nice cuz they last, have a low oil shutoff. You can do lots of engine cleaning and concrete cleaning with a 2000psi unit.
If you go on the roof use ropes and a safety harness so WHEN you fall you don't fall off the house.
Geoff

Geoff,

Great info! Thx. I'm in a single story, flat roof. (this is calif -- we don't have basements either) Hadn't thought of the engine cleaning angle -- clearly I need a turbo version. lol.

kim.

You can still fall off a wet ladder pretty easy. When you are spraying with the pressure wand it pushes you around as you try to aim it. So you are paying attention to the wand not how the ladder is and then you lean to get that spot over there and BAM. You hit the ground. Its nice to have someone help while you do it.
Geoff

I have a 3000psi, 6gpm. Before I squeeze the trigger I have to be sure I'm at an angle with one foot behind the other. If not it knocks me right on my butt. I think 2000psi will probably be enough.

Home Depot... with the Honda Motor. I've had one for 4 years and it's great.

http://www.homedepot.com/prel80/HDUS/EN_US...oductOID=235178

About $400+

I had a craftsman one at my house for a week or so. Used it to help my parents blast off crap off our deck and concrete. Worked like a charm. gas powered.

Dudes,

Thx for the info! I know it's standard household crap (i.e. there isn't an air dam on a pressure washer -- ), but it's still good to get btdt info to plow through it! Thx again.


kim.

(once the house crap is wrapped up, it's back to cars -- I'll have more questions then, I'm sure!)

Don't forget that you can probably rent one for pennies on the dollar. I'd go that route because I wouldn't want another expensive contraption that I rarely used taking up space in the garage.

Also, be carefull when blasting the house. Too high of pressure can easily blast holes in old wood.

Stay away from the cheap units that use the compressed air from a seperate aircompressor and your garden hose. I bought one from Sears and it's okay for cleaning the dirt off the house, but not much else.

Costco has a honda powered 2400psi unit on special for $299 I've had this one for 2 years and it works great. Only problem is everyone what to borrow it

Alrighty then. Thx one and all for the comments. I went with the rental option -- the thought of storing it was winning thought -- I don't have that much space and I want to use that space for 914 parts

Thx for the help dudes. The weekend is here. Now. Get out there.

kim.