Get Outside! 'Honey-Do' List Tips / Techniques

[Guest Bronker]

With the onset of Spring, and generally warmer weather, my 'honey-do' list is mounting up. It's about time to plant, seed, re-seed, fertilize; cleaning decks, patios, driveways, etc. That leads me to my first question of this thread:

I'm in the market for a pressure washer. In my very short research thus far, I've decided I likely need something in the 2500-3000 psi range. Of course, the detergent tanks, nozzle fittings, engines, etc. all come into play.

I'll be using this primarily to wash the siding on my house, the deck, the driveway, and the metal siding, two story barn. My house is two-story vinyl siding, so the higher pressure nozzles, etc. are a must.

So, what has been your experience?

-best brands?

-best engines (B&S, Honda, etc.)

-best 'recipe' for cleaning vinyl siding?

-Recommended psi?

Next up...Weed killers / grass seeds

[56FordGuy]

I did a bunch of pressure washer research a while back when I contemplated building one.

The big deal on most box store pressure washers is the pump. The engines will usually outlast the pump. At one time, I had two engines that I saved off of pressure washers with bad pumps. The thing to look for is a Cat brand pump. The ones I looked at actually listed a Cat pump as a feature on the tag.

I bought a Husky model from the Home Depot. It does not have a Cat pump, but I can tell you why. The only model I could find with one was about $500.00. I can buy a Cat pump by itself for about $150.00. I bought my pressure washer on clearance, and it had been returned and repaired for something prior to my purchase. I got it inexpensively enough that I can put a Cat pump on it when the factory one dies and still not have spent the money as buying a Cat equipped machine from the factory.

I'll have to look tomorrow and see what model mine is, it came from Home Depot and is about a 2500 PSI unit. It had four nozzles, and has generally done a good job on the truck and tractors, along with deck.

[Guest mosinon]

You know, I don't worry about what pressure washer to buy because I hire that crap out. Pressure washing is cheap, you'll find someone to do it for a hundred bucks or so.

A pressure washer is something you use once per year (maybe) so for the price of a good pressure washer you can hire a guy five years in a row and not worry about the gas going stale, storage and so forth.

I do the grass stuff myself because all the lawn companies want a monthly fee and a signed contract. And they are way less efficient than I am at turning my lawn into a non mowable red mud slick.

[Guest Bronker]

You know, I don't worry about what pressure washer to buy because I hire that crap out. Pressure washing is cheap...

Very good point. I DO hire out my lawn care. I have about 2.5 acres that are mowed as lawn. It takes 'my guy' about 3 hours to mow / weed-eat unless there's two of them. I factored in just the price of the mower I'd need to buy to make it worth my while. Not even counting the maintenance, gas, oil...plus MY time away, I could pay the lawn man for four years! I bush-hog my other 10+ acres of pasture, and love every minute of that!

Good enough for me!

The pressure washer is a little different. I'm looking at the $300-$400 range washers, and given that I have a two-story house, a driveway that is 1/10 mile-long, a 38'X60' two-story barn, and a tractor with implements...it may be worth my while.

Actually, the guy that pressure-washed my house last time charged me $1 per square ft. My water, his chemicals, washer, etc. Final bill was about $300 anyway.

Plus...I think I might would enjoy it! Your point is very well taken though.

[Guest mosinon]

Very good point. I DO hire out my lawn care. I have about 2.5 acres that are mowed as lawn. It takes 'my guy' about 3 hours to mow / weed-eat unless there's two of them. I factored in just the price of the mower I'd need to buy to make it worth my while. Not even counting the maintenance, gas, oil...plus MY time away, I could pay the lawn man for four years! I bush-hog my other 10+ acres of pasture, and love every minute of that!

Good enough for me!

The pressure washer is a little different. I'm looking at the $300-$400 range washers, and given that I have a two-story house, a driveway that is 1/10 mile-long, a 38'X60' two-story barn, and a tractor with implements...it may be worth my while.

Actually, the guy that pressure-washed my house last time charged me $1 per square ft. My water, his chemicals, washer, etc. Final bill was about $300 anyway.

Plus...I think I might would enjoy it! Your point is very well taken though.

If it makes sense, go for it. I like getting new tools so I generally error on the side of getting some new tool.When I had my yard fenced I calculated that it would cost one dollar more per foot for me to do i than to hire it out. Those guys were welcome to that dollar.

When I replaced a door it was six hundred dollars cheaper for me to do it. I did it myself.

So if it makes economic sense, buy your own damn pressure washer!

[hardknox00001]

Word of advise if you do purchase a pressure washer. One of the biggest reasons the pump craps out so fast is that people leave the water in them for long periods of time and that corrodes/eats up the pump and other innards. My brother made a special "funnel" attachment for the hose connection that allows him to "flush" the straight water out with a small quantity of anti-freeze. He pours a small quantity in the funnel and pulls the rope start just enough to get it to come out the high pressure discharge port. He does not pull hard enough to start the engine, just hard enough to turn it over.

[Guest Jcochran88]

The pump also craps out because people fire the engine up before turning on the water supply. We have a honda 3500 psi for work. it has ran for 3 years and you know what kind of employees I have.

[BrasilNuts]

1. -best 'recipe' for cleaning vinyl siding? Go to Walmart and look for Crown Cleaner. You may have to ask for it, but they carry it. Mix 1 part Crown to 3 parts water (roughly) in a large pump sprayer. If the vinyl is really dirty spray this mixture on it and let it soak for 15-20 minutes. If it is not too dirty the preassure washer will clean it just fine.

2. -Recommended psi? 2500-3000 is fine just remember not to spray against the laps on the siding as it will blow it right off. Use the fan tip so you can get about a three inch swipe at a time.

Are you planning on cleaning a deck or any wood?

[Guest Bronker]

1. -best 'recipe' for cleaning vinyl siding? Go to Walmart and look for Crown Cleaner. You may have to ask for it, but they carry it. Mix 1 part Crown to 3 parts water (roughly) in a large pump sprayer. If the vinyl is really dirty spray this mixture on it and let it soak for 15-20 minutes. If it is not too dirty the preassure washer will clean it just fine.

2. -Recommended psi? 2500-3000 is fine just remember not to spray against the laps on the siding as it will blow it right off. Use the fan tip so you can get about a three inch swipe at a time.

Are you planning on cleaning a deck or any wood?

Yep! It's on her 'list.':bat:

[Guest jackdm3]

Careful not to get wood items furry. Hence, stripping the preservatives off the top layers.

[Guest Bronker]

Careful not to get wood items furry. Hence, stripping the preservatives off the top layers.

Took me a minute...

I know what you mean now.

[BrasilNuts]

With a deck or wood what I do is a 1 part bleach and 3 parts water in a sprayer. On a good sunny day wet your deck with your garden hose and then spray the bleach/water mixture. Let it sit for an hour or so, if it drys completely that's fine, then lightly wash it with your pressure washer. As jackdm3 said be careful you don't get too close and fur or cut the wood.

You might want to try a hard to see area until you get used to it.

[Guest SUNTZU]

Home Depot sells three different PSI brands of turbo rotary nozzles. The tip oscillates and makes a cone of spray. You'll clean faster with one of these and it helps eliminate inadvertant "fan" marks on the concrete, wood, etc.

[tennessee01tacoma]

Word of advise if you do purchase a pressure washer. One of the biggest reasons the pump craps out so fast is that people leave the water in them for long periods of time and that corrodes/eats up the pump and other innards. My brother made a special "funnel" attachment for the hose connection that allows him to "flush" the straight water out with a small quantity of anti-freeze. He pours a small quantity in the funnel and pulls the rope start just enough to get it to come out the high pressure discharge port. He does not pull hard enough to start the engine, just hard enough to turn it over.

good idea for winter storage but im pretty sure most models have a drain plug on the pump or at least mine does.