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.
2,000 to 3,000 PSI
Good for cleaning concrete surfaces with light to moderate oil stains, most automotive cleaning, pools, many industrial applications.
2,000 - 2,900 PSI: This is a moderate strength unit used heavier residential tasks. These units are commonly sold as either electric or gas pressure washers. 3,000 - 6,900 PSI: These high pressure models are what professional pressure washers and contractors usually 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.
From there, you can work your way up, though it is generally best not to exceed 2000 PSI. It is also essential to use the right nozzle tip for the job. Don't use a narrow nozzle that will focus water too much in one area, as this may crack the grout or bricks. A nozzle that fans the water out is best.
Although many electric pressure washers produce a pressure of about 1900 psi, you should only use a water pressure of 1500 psi or lower on your car. You'll need to look for a low-pressure machine that's a bit less aggressive than the standard.
For starters, too much pressure on windows can easily cause the glass to shatter, so you should never use a PSI over 2,000. Furthermore, you need to adjust the spray to its widest angle on a 40- or 65-degree nozzle and use a spray pattern that avoids perpendicular pressure on windows.
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.
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.
Most homeowners find that pressure cleaning this area is the most effective and efficient way. You need 3000 psi (pound per square inch) to clean a driveway. Some will say that 1500 psi will do the job, as most pressure cleaners sold for domestic use can only go up to that.
Light Pressure – Rated at 2,000 PSI or lower. Medium Pressure – Rated from 2,000 to 3,000 PSI. High Pressure – Rated from 3,000 to 6,900 PSI. Ultra-High Pressure – Rated from 7,000 to 50,000 PSI.
We recommend around 2400 PSI for the average deck. This makes the job easy without damaging most woods. Start by using the standard spray tip to get rid of any loose dirt, leaves, and other easy debris.
If you need to clean a two-story house, you'll need a heavy-duty or extra heavy-duty pressure washer. This will give you a water pressure of 2,800 PSI (Pounds Per Square Inch) or higher and three to four GPM (gallons per minute) of water.
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.
Cracking the glass or loosening the wood putty are the biggest dangers when using a pressure washer to clean your windows. To avoid that, you should use no more than 2,000psi on your pressure washer. If you can set it to about 1,500 psi, that would be even better.
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.
The most versatile category of pressure washers, those ranging from 2,000 to 3,200 PSI effectively clean cars (including the most well-used off-road vehicles), home siding, fences, boats and grimy garage floors. Those closer to 3,200 PSI work effectively on tough stains, too.
Experts agree that a 1,100 PSI is a good starting point when working with foam cannons. Most foam cannons generally require a min of 1,100 PSI and 1.5 GPM (gallons per minute), though higher-performance foam cannons will require a minimum of 1,500 PSI and 2 GPM.
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.
You can use store-bought pressure washer-approved window cleaners such as Windex Complete. Alternatively, you can make your cleaning solution at home using distilled water and vinegar or a mixture of mild dishwashing soap and water.
Suppose your pressure washer runs at 2,000 PSI and uses 3 gallons of water per minute. It usually takes about a couple of hours to pressure wash an average-sized house, so that turns out to be a total of 360 gallons of water in two hours. For comparison, a standard-size bathtub holds about 80 gallons of water.
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.
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.
Electric pressure washers are lighter, more nimble, and far quieter than their gas counterparts. And like all electric and battery-operated tools, they start instantly and are significantly better for the environment because they don't produce any emissions.