A power washer is a fairly inexpensive piece of equipment for a homeowner to buy, usually ranging from $100 and $200 on up for a basic model, and it's one that has a multitude of uses. You can hire a company or an individual that does power washing for a fee, but given the many uses for power washers around the home you may want to invest in one yourself.

They work through an intense spray of water that can be either hot or cold. Some jobs may require hot water and a cleaning solution for the best results, but many jobs can be done through just the force of the water itself. A power pressure washer will have a PSI rating which tells you how many pounds of pressure per square inch it gives you. Each will also have a GPM rating, which tells you how many gallons of water per minute the power washer will go through. The higher these numbers are, the higher the pressure and the amount of the water that comes through the machine.

For most home uses, a PSI somewhere between 2000 and 2500 is enough, but for industrial jobs or professional power washing, a higher PSI even around 4000 would be better. At home, power washers get used to clean things like driveways, patios, awnings, gutters, walkways and siding. But power washers are used in other places, like your local car wash and even farms where farmers may use industrial-strength power washers to clean tractors and other equipment.

You can also use a home-model power washer to do things like prepare surface for other projects. They can be used to strip loose paint from wood siding before you repaint, or to clean a wooden deck before it's stained and sealed. And power washers are naturally environmentally friendly because very often you only need the pressure of the water with or without a mild detergent to clean, rather than using other chemicals.

There are special safety guidelines you need to be aware of and follow, so keep those in mind before you go shopping for power washers. These can be dangerous if you don't heed the safety warnings. For instance, a power washer exerts an incredible amount of force. The spray should never be aimed at a window, where it could easily break the glass, or at another person. Only a heavy duty extension cord should be used, and you should wear rubber soled shoes when using an electric power pressure washer. The plug should be plugged into a grounded outlet for the utmost protection, and the extension cord should be arranged in such a way that it doesn't get wet from the washer.

The first time you use a power washer, you should aim it at a distant spot on the ground or somewhere far away from windows or anything that can be damaged. Then bring the spray in so that you can get used to the pressure it exerts back on your hand, so that you can account for that and maintain control of the power washer at all times.

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