What Is a Good Price for a Pressure Washer?
If you intend to pressure wash your own property, you must consider how much you’re willing to spend on a machine. There are different pressure washers on the market, and some are better than others. The most important thing you must consider when buying a pressure washer is how much pressure it outputs and how much water it uses. Those two factors will determine whether you can effectively clean with it or not. Learn about the costs of different pressure washers and how to choose a device that’s going to meet your needs properly.
What Is a Good PSI for a Pressure Washer?
The total PSI or pressure output of a washer determines what it’s capable of cleaning. If it has too much pressure, it can damage vehicles, softwoods, and other materials, but if the pressure output isn’t great enough, you won’t be able to clean things like driveways, paint, and masonry effectively. This is why it’s important to understand how much pressure you need for different cleaning applications.
Choosing a Pressure Washer Using Its PSI Rating
One of the most effective ways to obtain a pressure washer is by looking at its PSI rating. Consider the question, “what PSI pressure washer do I need for a driveway?” or whatever it is you’re planning to clean. If you have one cleaning task in mind, this is easy to determine, but if you want to clean many things, you’ll have to consider different pressure requirements.
1500 PSI is a Lightweight Unit
If you get a pressure washer that delivers 1500 PSI, you can effectively clean grills, lawn equipment, scooters, and vehicles. Most electric pressure washers deliver at least this much power.
2600 PSI is a Mid-Range Unit
You’re fine to clean boat docks, decks, most picket fencing, and other wooden materials with a unit that can deliver 2600 PSI or more. If you get something slightly more powerful, you can handle things like driveways and home siding as well.
4000 PSI is a High-Powered Unit
The best gas pressure washer you can get will deliver more than 4,000 PSI of water pressure output. At this level, you can clean driveways and masonry with ease. You can even strip paint if you like.
What Is the Best Pressure Washer to Buy?
The best pressure washer you can get is the unit that’s going to meet all your cleaning needs while performing well for many years. That means different things to different people, but you should be able to use the chart above to decide whether you need an electric unit that provides between 1,000 and 3,000 PSI of pressure and a gas unit that offers more than 4,000 PSI.
How to Choose the Best Electric Pressure Washer
An electric pressure washer is a light to medium-duty cleaning tool that is excellent for washing vehicles and outdoor furniture but that might not be up to the task of harsher cleaning jobs such as paint stripping.
When choosing an electric pressure washer, you should look for a model that delivers a minimum of 2,000 PSI and that offers a hose length of 25′ or longer as standard. Apart from doing those two things, it’s helpful to look for well-known electric utility brands like Greenworks and Stanley.
Greenworks offers an electric unit that delivers 3,000 PSI of cleaning power for around $600, and Stanley has a more lightweight cleaner that offers 2,100 PSI of power for about $320. Either option can be used for mid-range cleaning tasks, and the Greenworks high-pressure unit can also be used for cleaning driveways, sidewalks, and even for some basic paint removal.
How to Choose the Best Gas Pressure Washer
Gas pressure washers are heavy-duty equipment in the pressure washing industry. They are more expensive but deliver pro-grade results when chosen carefully. To select the best gas pressure washer, start by choosing a unit that delivers 4,000 PSI of power output or greater.
Once you have that, look at the quality of the engine that the unit is equipped with and how simple it is to service. If you find an engine that’s been known for performing well for many years, you can rely on the pressure washer to last. You should also look at the water consumption rate. Try and choose a unit that consumes around 4 GPM to get a reliable stream of cleaning power at a high-pressure level.
Two of our favorite units are the Simpson Powershot 4400 at about $900 and the Dewalt 4200 with the Honda GX390 engine at about $1,350. These aren’t industrial-grade units, but they will perform most cleaning tasks for residential use quite well.
Which Stores Offer the Top Pressure Washers?
There are many stores that sell pressure washers today, but the best consumer-grade equipment you can get comes from hardware stores or equipment supply stores. By shopping at a location like Home Depot, Lowes, ACME Tools, Ace Hardware, Northern Tool, or a local hardware shop, you can get access to well-made equipment that’s built to deliver reliable performance.
It’s possible to get a mid-range CostCo pressure washer or Walmart pressure washer that will handle common household cleaning tasks, but you won’t find anything that resembles professional-grade equipment from these retailers.
What Is the Average Cost to Pressure Wash a House?
If you’re planning to handle your own pressure washing, or you want to hire an expert to come in, it’s helpful to know what the average cost to pressure wash a house is. On average, you’ll spend approximately $0.40 per square foot to have your home pressure washed. This price varies tremendously, but you can assume a cost near that amount when estimating what you’ll pay.
This means the average cost to pressure a 1500-square-foot house would be $600. The average cost to pressure wash a 2,000-square-foot house would be about $800. Even if you don’t have a pressure washing pricing guide, knowing average costs can help you estimate what you would pay to have your home washed.
Pressure washing your own property is difficult, time-consuming, and potentially damaging if done improperly. This is why it’s worthwhile to spend the money to pay professionals to do the work instead.
How S&K Building Services Stand Out
It’s possible for you to pressure clean your own property, but risky and potentially expensive as well. Consider hiring professionals at S&K Building Services instead. Our reliable professionals know how to handle any pressure washing cleaning job quickly and efficiently. Call today for an estimate.
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FAQs
What is a good price for a pressure washer?
A good price for a lightweight pressure washer is $300 to $600, while a heavy-duty pressure washer sells for between $1,000 and $2,000 for consumer-grade equipment. Pro-grade equipment costs several thousand more.
What pressure washers do professionals use?
Professionals use industrial gas pressure washers that deliver 4,000+ PSI. Their tools have long hoses and are equipped with top-end engines that are proven to last.
What is a good PSI for a pressure washer?
A good PSI for a pressure washer is 4,000 PSI for difficult tasks and 2,000 PSI for light to mid-duty tasks.
How much PSI do I need to clean my driveway?
You can clean your driveway with 3,000 PSI.
What is the most reliable brand of pressure washers?
There is no one brand that’s most reliable for pressure washers. Try to choose proven brands such as Stanley, Husquavarna, or another product with lots of reviews and tough build quality.
How much PSI does a pressure washer need to clean concrete?
Concrete can be cleaned effectively with between 3,000 and 4,000 PSI.
What PSI pressure washer do I need for a driveway?
To effectively clean your driveway, you should obtain a pressure washer that delivers 3,000 PSI or greater.
Is 2000 PSI enough to pressure wash a house?
Yes, 2,000 PSI is enough to pressure wash most home exteriors. Vinyl siding does best when washed at between 2,000 and 3,000 PSI, while aluminum and other softer sidings may require 1,500 PSI.
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