Feeling the Pressure? 3 Reasons to Hire a Professional Pressure Washer
Pressure washing your home is one of the greatest ways to increase property value. But, if you do it yourself it can also be one of the more stressful, dangerous ways you’ll try to turn a profit when selling your home. In our article, we talk about the pros and cons of using a professional pressure washing service versus renting or buying a pressure washer and doing it yourself.
Keep reading to learn more about why you could (and probably should) leave it up to the professionals, and what products you should get if you’re sure you want to do it on your own.
Best Pressure Washers For Doing-It-Yourself
If you’re planning on doing it yourself, there are a few factors to consider beyond your free time and the energy you’re willing to invest. Things such as:
Should You Rent, or Buy?
If you’re planning on using your pressure washer throughout the year, it may not be a bad idea to simply purchase one. But, if it’s a once or twice a year task, avoid the hassle and just rent.
To rent a pressure washer, expect to pay between $40 to $100 every day. Keep in mind that you still have to pay for it regardless if you are too busy to return it Monday morning, or if it has to wait until after a holiday.
Buying a pressure washer might mean that you pay as little as $100, or at least $600 depending on the PSI, extra features, and if it’s electric or gas.
➡️Pro Tip: Regardless if you purchase or rent your pressure washer, dress appropriately. Wear protective gear, including pants, goggles, and closed-toe shoes to prevent injury.
How We Rate Pressure Washers
When we consider the best pressure washers for homeowners, we aren’t just looking at price or power. While both of these are a factor, homeowners also need versatility, and features that will allow them to effectively clean surfaces without damaging them or resulting in injury to themselves.
When we suggest a product, we consider the four following factors:
- Price
- Features
- Warranty
- Power
Best Overall Pressure Washer
Ultimately, the Sun Joe SPX3000 wins out as our top pick for consumers.
Not only is it affordable at under $200, but the different nozzles that come with it allow users to adjust the PSI to something softer, which is a necessity for certain areas of the home. It also features removable detergent tanks, allowing the user to add their own soft wash chemicals for jobs where a gentler touch is essential.
Benefits of a Professional Pressure Washer
Don’t allow a stubborn “git-r-done” mentality to stop you from hiring a professional, especially when it comes to pressure washing. Pressure washing without the experience necessary can lead to bigger problems and unwanted bills down the road. Here are some reasons you should leave pressure washing to the pros.
1. Safety
Pressure washing involves spraying water with an extremely high level of pressure. If handled incorrectly, it can easily result in injury to yourself, pets, or innocent bystanders. The risk of injury to you aside, pressure washing the wrong surface can actually cause damage to your home—damage that would be completely avoidable with experienced users, like a professional pressure washing service.
When you use a professional, you are placing this tool in the hands of someone who is not only experienced but who uses a pressure washer on a daily basis. You are also taking the liability off of your shoulders if something bad were to happen. Wouldn’t you rather they foot the repair bill instead of you?
2. Attention to Detail
If you’re going to take the time to clean the exterior of your home, don’t want it to be thoroughly cleaned? A professional has the experience to know exactly how to get every inch of your home cleaned. That means covering everything from your driveway to the top of your roof. Getting away all those old dirt stains on the top and sides of your house can make it look almost new again and increase the value of your home.
➡️Pro Tip: The exterior of your property makes the first impression. Our Outdoor Cleaning Guide provides tips that will help you make your home look better without making your bank account look worse.
Over time there can be a build of grime and contaminants on the exterior of your home. Things that the general public might not know to look for or even know about at all. A professional pressure washer is going to know exactly what to look for and ensure that those contaminants are completely removed from the surface of your home.
3. The Convenience Factor
Let’s be honest: spending hours and hours cleaning the outside of your home isn’t exactly the most exciting way you could be spending your time. This is yet another beautiful part of hiring a professional pressure washer. The sheer quantity of time you will save by hiring a pro is enough to make you wonder why you didn’t think of this sooner. Instead of wasting your entire weekend breaking your back to get your home clean, you could go golfing or take the family to see a movie.
If you are debating on whether or not you should rent a pressure washer for yourself to save a little money, think about this.
Pressure washing your house is not going to be a one-day job.
That means you are going to have to figure out how many days to rent it for, and that alone might exceed the cost of hiring a professional. Not to mention the stress of doing any maintenance that might be necessary and finding a place to store it when you’re not using it. Not everyone has space big enough to store a pressure washer, regardless if they own it or need to wait until the rental place opens up.
When you look at the scale of “save time vs save money,” the amount of time you would save by hiring a professional is worth the investment. But, just in case you’re intent on doing it yourself, we’ve provided some guidance there too.
Our Guides for Cleaning Your Home & Increasing Its Value
While some of our guides are location-specific, the same idea applies to your location as well. Browse our guides to see other ways you can clean the exterior of your property and increase its value!
- Complete Guide: How to Clean Patio Pavers
- 4 Areas of Your Home That Need Pressure Washed
- 5 Reasons to Clean Your Gutters in Wilmington
- 5 Affordable Ways to Give Your Charlotte Home a Fresh New Look
- 4 Benefits of Soft Washing Your House
- 5 Essential Things You Will Need to Clean a Composite Deck
Frequently Asked Questions
Browse our most frequently asked questions about hiring a professional, doing it yourself, and which one is best for you!
What size pressure washer do I need to clean my driveway?
Concrete, unlike some other surfaces, requires more force. A pressure washer should have a power rating of 3,000 PSI with a minimum flow rate of 4 gallons every minute (pgm).
Is it worth it to buy a pressure washer?
There isn’t a clear yes or no answer to this question. If you use it at least three times a year, have an out-of-the-way place to store it, and are willing to maintain it, then yes it’s worth the investment—assuming it’s powerful enough to get the job done without calling in the professionals. But, most homeowners find that it isn’t worth the hassle.
What is the difference between a pressure washer and a pressure cleaner?
Pressure cleaners and power washers are one and the same. Power cleaners, on the other hand, rely on hot water and are sometimes erroneously referred to as pressure cleaners or washers.
What size pressure washer do you need to pressure wash a house?
For concrete walkways and driveways, you’ll need 3,000 psi. But, other areas of the home require less force in order to make sure they aren’t damaged. Vinyl siding and decks shouldn’t be more than 1,500 psi, while softwood and roofs should be 600 psi or less and soft washed.
