Heavy-duty tasks like stripping paint or removing graffiti require 2,800 psi or higher and a gpm of 3 to 4 (8,400+ ECUs). Commercial-grade pressure washers, intended for regular use and built and powered accordingly, start at 3,100 psi.
1000-2000 PSI
This pressure range is good for cleaning decks and siding and for light-duty auto cleaning.
Medium Duty 2000-2800 PSI
They're great for cleaning concrete, brick, and wood. They work especially well for cleaning patios, sidings, roofs, decks, and fences. The medium-duty power washer is best for getting rid of stubborn stains and dirt that a low-duty pressure washer can't clean.
PSI stands for pounds per square inch and is a unit of measurement used to measure the pressure of a liquid or gas. A 3000 psi pressure washer has the ability to produce up to 3000 pounds of force per square inch, making it an incredibly powerful.
Concrete and asphalt require more cleaning power. You'll want to use the turbo nozzle on the 1600 PSI for hard-to-clean driveways, sidewalks, and patios as well as brick paving. For wood decks and painted surfaces, switch to the gentler 40-degree nozzle.
Our recommendation ranges from as low as 3,000 PSI to as high as 4,000 PSI.
Each concrete structure has a normally acceptable psi range. Concrete footings and slabs on grade typically require a concrete of 3,500 to 4,000 psi. Suspended slabs, beams, and girders (as often found in bridges) require 3,500 to 5,000 psi.
A 4000 PSI pressure washer is ideal for heavy equipment, concrete surfaces, brick walls, construction sites, stripping paint and lifting oil stains. Again, a 4000 PSI pressure washer should not be used on house siding; 4000 PSI is strong enough to cause some serious damage!
Car washes typically blast out their liquid at 1,000 to 1,200 PSI, although pressures can go up to 2,200 in some situations. For this reason, along with the squirts of hot wax and slaps from towels, we do not recommend going through a car wash on foot.
For those looking to clean industrial equipment, such as vehicles or airplane components, even more power might be required – up to 4000 psi or higher. On the other hand, one important thing to note when selecting your pressure washer is that too high of a PSI can also damage certain surfaces if used incorrectly.
Concrete cleaning calls for powerful pressure washers featuring high pressure levels of 3000 PSI. However, if you will be using the power cleaner to maintain a range of surfaces in addition to concrete, choose one with adjustable pressure levels and set it to about 3000 PSI when you need to clean concrete.
Your pressure washer should have a minimum pressure rating of 3000 psi to effectively clean your sidewalk. There are a few situations where a higher pressure rating might be needed, but exterior cleaning experts all agree and recommend that 3000 psi is appropriate for residential use.
Choosing a Pressure Washer
Vinyl siding can withstand a powerful gas pressure washer (2,500-3,000 psi). Aluminum, stucco or soft-grain wood homes will do better with a less powerful washer (about 1,200-1,500 psi). Determine whether you will rent or buy your machine.
The 3000 psi machine can put out 5 gpm while the 4000 psi machine has to be cut back to 3.5 to 4gpm in flow. The 3000 psi machine has 14.4 (lb) of impact force which relates to 10 to 20% faster cleaning than the 4000 psi while using a similar amount of horsepower and fuel.
The main difference is that power washing uses highly pressurized steam to do the cleaning while pressure washing just uses unheated tap water, without the help of a heating element.
Selecting a pressure washer with a range of 2,000 psi to 4,000 psi will give you the most effective power for removing peeling paint. With pressure washers, as with all power equipment, always wear protective goggles and closed-toe shoes.
For most cars, a psi between 1200 and 2200 is recommended. This range provides enough cleaning power to remove dirt and grime without damaging the car's paint or delicate surfaces.
Don't use household cleaning agents like hand soap, dishwashing detergent, or glass cleaner on the paint. These aren't formulated for use on a car's paint and may strip off the protective wax. Do use a dedicated car-wash product, which is milder and specifically designed for use on automotive paint.
You should also never set your pressure washer above 2,200 psi when washing your car. 1,500 psi is really all you need to get a good deep clean; any pressure higher than that won't make a noticeable performance difference.
Light-duty pressure washers are rated at 2,000 PSI or less and are suitable for cleaning automobiles, motorcycles, boats, bicycles and all-purpose cleaning. Medium-duty pressure washers produce 2,000 to 3,000 PSI and can be used to remove grease and grim from concrete, sidewalks, decks and siding.
If your cleaning needs take you to a location where finding available electricity is going to be a problem, then a gas driven pressure washer is the best choice. Often customers choose an electric powered pressure washer if they have a need to use it indoors, because the electric motors emit no fuel fumes.
The RYOBI 1800 PSI 1.2 GPM Electric Pressure Washer is the perfect powerful yet portable option to get the job done. This pressure washer is ideal for light duty applications like cleaning small driveways, sidewalks, decks, windows, patio furniture, campers, bikes, boats, and many other recreational applications.
For cleaning a wooden deck, you'll be best served by using the lowest pressure setting that's still effective. For soft woods like cedar or pine, this is usually about 500 to 600 psi. For harder woods, it can go up to 1200 to 1500 psi. Choose the right tip to use as well.
That's why many jurisdictions have a maximum allowable pressure of around 3,000 PSI. However, this is just the bare minimum. Newer electric units can often go up to 4,500 or 5,000 PSI without any real risk of damage to your home, but you should always exercise caution when using water at this high of pressure.
5,000 PSI. Used in special construction applications, including some large-scale commercial and industrial properties, 5,000 PSI can withstand heavy impact and extreme wear and tear.