One of the best ways to clean and rejuvenate all types of surfaces throughout your home’s exterior is pressure washing. With the help of a pressure washer, you’ll be able to clean different kinds of hard surfaces and large areas instantly and more efficiently.
You can use the best of the best pressure washer to take care of your patio, wooden deck, car, driveway, siding, and walkway. It can rid of gum, grease, wax, tar, rust, and other soils that are tough to deal with.
Nevertheless, there are still some basics you need to learn when hooking up your unit, which is not as complicated as most people think. Simply follow the manufacturer’s instructions, and your unit will be set up in no time. Also, we will provide you information on how you can easily hook up your pressure washer. Here’s everything you need to know to get started.
Difference Between The Two Types Of Pressure Washer
Before we go through the basics of how to hook up and start your pressure washer, you must first know the difference between its types. Generally, you have two main kinds to choose from, gas and electric-powered. Out of these two, the more powerful one is the gas-powered washer. Most experts highly recommend it as well.
An electric pressure washer is excellent at cleaning as well. However, the pressure it produces is less in comparison to its gas counterpart. Hence, it works well at lighter tasks around the home, such as washing your car, tile or concrete patio, walkway, driveway, garage floors, fence, and so on.
On the other hand, a gas pressure washer can provide you with higher water pressure. But that extra power comes with some drawbacks since this type is more costly to operate and tends to make a lot of noise. When deciding which one to buy, make sure to consider their pros and cons, as well as your cleaning needs.
Importance of Inspecting The Hose And Water Supply
It’s crucial to check and ensure that your hose has no cuts, leaks, and holes that have developed over time. The last thing you want is to work with a leaking hose since this will prevent it from producing the right amount of pressure to effectively clean.
Your water source is another thing you want to check. Make sure that it will be able to provide a continuous and steady supply to your equipment. Also, determine the type of pressure your unit requires and ensure that your water source can generate the water volume needed.
Most users often overlook the holes and cuts of the hose they’re using, which makes doing a simple job take longer to accomplish. For this reason, it is important to inspect your hose thoroughly. Check to see if there are areas where water may be spilling out of it or leaks.
How To Hook Up A Pressure Washer
After you have inspected your pressure washer, you can now hook it up. This is not a difficult job at all, and when you have done it a couple of times, you will not encounter any issues when hooking up your pressure washer. The key here is understanding which part of the spray gun you need to connect with which end.
A pressure washer spray gun has two separate connections. You attach the first one to the pump and the other one into the spray gun itself. Keep in mind that it is vital to ensure that you have a firm connection. There are two methods of hooking up the pump. You can either twist it or snap your prays gun into the pump.
The right way of doing this will depend on what type of pressure washer and gun you have. Moreover, it is highly advisable to go through the owner’s manual of your unit. Doing so will provide you with a much better idea of how you can hook up the particular model of your electric or gas-powered washer. Likewise, you’ll know which ends you need to attach, as well as where you must form tight connections.
Also, it will be helpful to check out these illustrated hints on setting up a pressure washer. A little bit of learning will surely save you a lot of time and effort in the long run when prepping your unit.
When Do I Need To Use A Pressure Washer?
Pressure washers shine the most at cleaning all sorts of exterior surfaces and large surface areas with caked-on grease, dirt, plant residue, and other matter. But as mentioned, these machines are extremely powerful. If you’re not careful, it can easily injure you and any living thing around, as well as damage surfaces.
Therefore, you need to be aware of the dangers of using a pressure washer to prevent injuries and costly repairs. Here are some safety tips to keep in mind:
- When there are plant beds near the area you’ll pressure wash, keep your plants safe by covering them with plastic or garbage bags.
- Be aware of your surroundings. Look around to ensure that no one is around before pressure washing. Also, never aim your wand at anyone.
- Always wear rubber boots, gloves, goggles, and other protective equipment.
- Pressure washers are not toys. So never let your child play with it.
- Always use the appropriate nozzle for the job.
- If you’ll use a gas-powered unit, never use it in an enclosed space.
Moreover, it will not make sense to use one in a very small area since these machines are used mainly for dirtier or larger chores. Unless of course, the stain is pretty stubborn, and you can’t remove it no matter how hard you brush it. Also, consider washing by hand if taking out your pressure washer and setting it up will take a lot longer than the amount of time you’ll use it.