pressure-washer: how far does it usefully "shoot"? (dist of hand to "work")

[David Combs]

Continuing saga of chlorine and alum-siding:

I phonned the rental-place, and the guy there said, in response to my "how high can it squirt" (and that cannot safely use a ladder on steeply- sloping ground), that the distance for effective use was something like EIGHT INCHES(!).

What a surprise -- when I'd expected him to same something like 20 FEET!

(He also said that what he rents are 3500 psi washers, gasoline powered, $50 for 4hrs, $75 for whole day).

Question: does what he said make any sense?

If he's right, and the effective distance is eight INCHES, then, given my situation, I don't see how I could get the job done.

Any opinions?

Thanks so much!

David

[Edwin Pawlowski]

The washer will shoot the water 20 feet, but there will be little pressure at that point. Take a look at how they are made. The water is pressurized and sent through a nozzle. At the nozzle, the pressure is say, 3000 psi. BUT, the nozzle is only about 1/8" diameter. The further away you get, the lower the pressure. At 20' the spread is very large.

Ever look at a light bulb about and inch away from your eye? It would be very bright, but from across the room, it is no big deal. Or the flash on your camera is good at 6', but will do nothing across the yard.

So, you can wet things down at a pretty good distance, but more than a few feet they have little effect. You don't need full pressure in most cases and can, in fact, cause serious damage very close. Ed [e-mail]

[Bruce]

I'm not sure what your job is but yes, it makes sense. They aren't good for anything you can't get close to. When I wash brick or deck or sidewalk, I keep it about 8-10" away. At 20', you have nothing but mist.

[Dusty]

I have seen advertised in catalogs extensions for pressure washer. Don;'t know myself if they work but would think so because they would be just like a longer hose.

[Tom or Barb]

Just replaced the standard wand for my 2000 psi washer with a 59inch one and washed down my story and a half vinyl sided house without a ladder. No problem getting all the dirt and cobwebs clear to the eaves at the peak. Had enough pressure to remove the paint from the wood fascia boards...oh, well , it was time to repaint them anyway.

[jeffc]

Yes, pressure washers are for close up use. The price sounds a bit expensive, but just a bit. I'd look to spend $50-60 for a whole day. Might depend on area.

Well, there's a "wand" or long handle that is about 4' long. If that's not enough, then you have to hire someone to do the work, or get a ladder that will safely negotiate unlevel ground (ladder extenders of some sort).

[Charlie Bress]

Are you trying to get rid of mold? It sounds like it if you are talking about chlorine.

I have a house with vinyl siding and a small pressure washer. The problem is that the back of the house is too high up because of the slope of the land and the fact that that end has a high peak for the pressure washer to do any good.

The solution: I used a hose end sprayer and filled the jar with bleach, set the mix valve to the lowest level and sprayed the whole back. Let it sit for a while, hit a few stubborn spots and a few misses and there you are. Rinse with clear water if you are inclined, but it seemed to me that everything dried off nicely.

Charlie

[PhotoMan]

From many discussions and owner manuals I've read, there are many caveats about running a bleach solution thru the pump. Look into it before you try - it could be an expensive mistake!

[ROBMURR]

When using the low pressure soap tip tip will draw chemicals thru the soap tube and be mixed and sprayed thru the hose/wand onto your house expect little pressure but it will spray about

8 ft out of the end of the wand... When cleaning siding the trick is to get the chemical on evenly and let it do the work. do not use high pressure to wash it off, a wide fan tip starting at the top will wash it off just fine.

[David Combs]

Let's see if I understand your post:

Oh, I'm not trying to "blast" off the (weakened, loosened somewhat, by the chlorix) mold, your're saying?

No pressure needed, not much anyway?

Well, then, why a pressure-washer anyway?

Why not just a garden-hose with nozzle?

Thanks!

David

[David Combs]

Well, removing paint from any nearby boards (above the siding) is, for me, given that big slope and danger-with-ladder, a real no-no.

The repainting would be a *real* pain, and expense too, likely.

What hints or tricks or bewares for *not* hitting any painted-wood hard-enough to remove the paint?

Thanks!

David

[David Combs]

I suppose I could dig out two or three places in the ground, making them level, so they could then safely support a ladder.

Or, what do you think of the "extension wands" some others have mentioned?

Ever try one?

David

[David Combs]

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but it lools like for *applying* the chlorine, what he did was to use not the pressure-washer but just some ordinary attach-to-end-of-garden-hose chemical-sprayer, like eg Ortho makes, for spraying various garden-chemicals on the grass, bushes, etc, to kill wee pests.

Then, he says, he didn't wash it off at all; just left it there to dry?

Am I reading him correctly?

-----

Question: if you *don't* (somewhat) forcefully blast-off the now-bleached mold, then the (now dead) mold *stays* on the siding -- you just don't see it so easily, since it's been bleached?

Is that right?

-----

This job is quickly going from "almost trivial" to anything but!

David

[Charlie Bress]

That's what I said.

Charlie

[JBSummer]

Also, when I contacted Karcher about attaching extension wands to my pressure washer, there is a limit. i think they said to keep the total extension to something like eight feet...

[DaveG]

They make devices for leveling extension ladders, check out home stores, or good paint shops, etc. I just nailed blocks of wood together to get by. I wouldn't recommend climbing too high on a ladder with a pressure washer.

Yep. I have a house with a 3 story expose in the back, so I needed the reach. The sucker is really heavy, and takes some getting used to. I have a 2800 psi gas powered pressure washer, and it fed detergent all the way thru to the nozzle, even extended to 30'. It was quite cumbersome, but I did get the job done.

[Tom or Barb]

like I said, it needed painting anyway.

[BigAl]

Many do not use pressure washer on vinyl

water shot UP and a high pressure will get between the vinyl and the insulation and make the insulation rot much faster,....

use a regular hose with a spray..there a chemicals will will remove mildew and dirt without harming grass and bushes....and allot cheaper, no maintenance

expect to pay about $21 for the set up

boards...oh,