The Inside Outside Guys: Pressure washers

OK. Father’s Day has come and gone, and you got a new pressure washer as a gift from the family.

Now, what do you do with it?

While you can use it for many of the home maintenance items the Outside Guy is always talking about, there are some things you should know about the machine before you employ it.

It came with a set of four color-coded nozzles including red, yellow, green and white.

The colors represent a progression in width of spray, from zero degrees (red) to 40 degrees (white).

The washer will also be rated for the amount of pressure it can generate, usually from around 1,300 up to 3,000 PSI or more.

The narrower the spray, the more powerful the stream, so a zero-degree tip might etch even concrete.

This same tip will also create a stream that can quickly damage flesh, so always wear protective gear, including a good work boot and safety glasses, when using the device.

Develop good habits like locating the machine and hoses behind you so you are not constantly risking a trip over them.

Regardless of the surface you are cleaning or the tip you are using, always begin in an obscure place, keep the wand tip well above the surface, and employ a roughly 45 degree angle of spray away from your body and any plant beds, or other materials you do not wish to damage.

Power washers are excellent tools for cleaning porches, concrete drives and sidewalks, decks, fences and some sidings.

They are generally not used on vertical brick, shingles, air conditioners, lead paint or any painted surface, vehicles, near electrical panels, wood siding, windows and doors, or any other material that the machine might damage or where you might force water into an unwanted area.

When cleaning concrete, it might be best to pre-soak tough old oil stains or black walnut-type stains, then spray with a 25 degree tip, working from the top of a slope to the bottom and using care and caution around isolation joints in the concrete and exterior housing materials like siding.

If you are going to install backer foam rods and special caulk in the isolation joints, then a pressure washer is a good way to begin cleaning out that space, but be aware the intense spray will “shoot” material quite forcefully out of those gaps.

With concrete drives and sidewalks, it is also a good idea to plan on applying a breathable sealer to the cleaned surface. This will help the concrete shed surface water and bleed out ground moisture.

If you are cleaning the walking surface of a wood or composite deck, be very careful.

It is always wise to verify with a product manufacturer whether a material can withstand power washing.

You might start with a dilute solution of dawn dish soap, warm water, and a stiff bristle brush instead of the power washer.

If you must use a pressure washing device, use all the caution earlier discussed and a 40 degree or wider spray tip at a 45 degree angle and well off the surface.

Clean one board at a time

A mistake commonly made on any surface with these machines is to use too high a pressure with too narrow a stream too close to the material.

Keep in mind that a concentrated flow of water can cut steel, so it can certainly etch or destroy concrete, wood, vinyl siding, and other housing materials.

One friend, ignoring all caution while cleaning his attached wood deck, actually severed the electrical connection to his air conditioning unit with the powerful stream of water.

The Guys have also seen homeowners who think using such a device on the roof is a wise decision — we disagree. Shingles are not meant to withstand the concentrated force of pressurized water.

Most such machines will caution they are never to be run without a supply of water to the pump. Running them dry can damage the device.

If you recently acquired a pressure washer, use it wisely and with caution. If you need a professional to do the work for you, go to Insideoutsideguys.com.

For more advice, listen to the Inside Outside Guys every Saturday and Sunday on AM760-WJR from 10 a.m. to noon or contact us at insideoutsideguys.com.