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  • Power Washers

    I've got a probable need for a power washer to clean a couple driveways prior to seal coating them. It would cost me $58 + tax to rent a 2000psi one for 4 hours, and $82 for a whole day, from Home Depot. I can buy a pretty nice one, 2500psi, for less than $400 from them. Is the $400 model not worth buying? Even if it lasts for 5 days of use, it'll have paid for itself. Not to mention that I won't have to bother picking one up and returning it every time I need one. Should I buy or rent, and if I buy should I hold out for a more expensive commercial model? Also, keep in mind that I might want to buy a Giant or Little Wonder blower to supplement my Red Max for the fall cleanups, and I'll have the same dilema all over again . Any advice is appreciated.

  • #2
    Bikehigh

    Rule of thumb in any business is. If it pays for itself in a year buy it. Look at a better model if you can justify the price. Cheap model are just that. A better piece of equipment will work better and last longer. By having a good pressure washer you can pick up side work at high margin.


    You can lead a donkey to water but you can't make the Jackass drink.

    Comment


    • #3
      I would consider nothing less than 5gpm flow and 3500psi with a HONDA engine!

      If you can swing it, it will last forever and do a very good job. Remember, TIME is money. The more water and psi you can flow, the quicker you get done.

      Good Luck!
      Jeeps are like women.....much more fun with their TOPS OFF!



      A society that rewards based on need creates needy citizens. A society that rewards based on ability creates able ones.

      Do you guys think Obama is going to kiss us after he is done with us or is he going to put on his belt and head out the door?

      Comment


      • #4
        My god, 5 gpm and 3500psi???? You'll be eating huge chunks out of the driveway!!!! Or peeling paint off your mowers! What is that, like 11hp??? Elwood, is that what you use on the farm for cleaning the combines and muddy John Deeres (or yourself)?????



        Pressure washers have come down in price lately. Those ones at Home Depot are pretty good. They have the sweet Honda engines. You can't beat the prices either.

        I bought one about 3 years ago from Home Depot. It was 2750 (maybe 2500psi) and it was peeling off paint and stickers from the mowers. I realize you can adjust the power, but dang if you do that, why not get a smaller unit? I thought it was a bad purchase so I took it back after a day or so. I have a 1700psi electric one for the mowers.

        BUT next week I am going to go buy one of those 2500psi units you are speaking of because I need to remove paint from my shop and house before painting. They look great to me, and I know they have the power I need.



        By the way, there is nothing wrong with getting what Elwood said, I'm just kidding with him. But I'm not sure you would need such a unit.
        a.k.a.---> Erich

        www.avalawnlandscaping.com


        Build a man a fire, he'll be warm for a day.
        Set a man on fire, he'll be warm for the rest of his life.

        Comment


        • #5
          Scaper-S2K Elwood is correct; and my own experience says he is correct.

          I did a job last year for a client pressure washing her deck with a 2500 psi and it took me all day. A couple days later, I used the same rental to do another clients deck that was a little larger. I spent 2 hours on it before the darn unit started cutting out.

          A friend who is a professional power washer wasn't able to loan one of his, so I went down to Costco and purchased a 3600 psi Karcher. Wow, what a difference in speed and the ability to get the job done fast. If you know how to do the job well with the lower psi ones, you can do well with the bigger stuff. Time is money, but you do have to be careful with the additional pressure.

          If you want to take paint off fast, use the highest psi you can get.

          My only caution with Karcher's Costco model is that they put a cheap pump on a 13 hp Honda which sells for $850-$950 depending upon where you live. In Puget Sound Area of WA, Costco charges $950 for the 3600; whereas the Costco in Eugene and Beaverton OR goes for about $850.

          The pump went out after about 15 hours of use, so I went down to Costco and purchased another 3600 psi unit last summer to finish the job of washing 2 decks and a large concrete driveway. I managed to get it done as "warranty work" even though the problem wasn't covered. I think it was appeasement for my negetive reaction to the line of BS the Karcher people said. They claimed that the model sold at Costco has a pump on it meant for the home owner who will use it for only 20 hours and that it wasn't a commercial model. I said that was BS since Costco sells it as a commercial model. Besides, what homeowner is going to pay close to a thousand dollars for a piece of crap that will give him only 20 hours of time.

          Other than that, the Karcher model is great. By the way, a commercial Karcher pump costs almost as much as the unit sold for at Costco.

          Comment


          • #6
            Scaper, on the farm we use a bit less pressure, but VERY HOT WATER, usually 150-175 degrees. Cuts thru grease and dirt very well! BTW, it is a 13hp unit!

            If you want to get oil stains off pavement, if you decide you want to really do some power washing jobs like concrete sidewalks or deck cleaning/staining, high PSI and high flow is the only way to go. Yes, you have to be careful around many things, that is where common sense comes into play, but a nice unit with a "zero degree" tip will be a very powerful unit! Time is money and if you can speed up the job, it means more profit for you.
            Jeeps are like women.....much more fun with their TOPS OFF!



            A society that rewards based on need creates needy citizens. A society that rewards based on ability creates able ones.

            Do you guys think Obama is going to kiss us after he is done with us or is he going to put on his belt and head out the door?

            Comment


            • #7
              Bikehigh .... don't buy anymore equipment ... you can make three times the net using another approach ... 3 times the profit, no equipment.

              Comment


              • #8
                Stephen, I was just kidding with Elwood.
                a.k.a.---> Erich

                www.avalawnlandscaping.com


                Build a man a fire, he'll be warm for a day.
                Set a man on fire, he'll be warm for the rest of his life.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Well Phil, do you have any advice, a solution or are we going to hear more about sailing??
                  Jeeps are like women.....much more fun with their TOPS OFF!



                  A society that rewards based on need creates needy citizens. A society that rewards based on ability creates able ones.

                  Do you guys think Obama is going to kiss us after he is done with us or is he going to put on his belt and head out the door?

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Me Personally...

                    I would want at least 2,500 PSI & 4GPM isw a must even if I've got to go to more PSI, from what I've seen to get 4+GPM you're looking at 3,500 psi...

                    So a 3,500PSI unit say with a 11hp or 13hp Honda that puts out 5GPM would be what I would want to work with...

                    I wonder how well that would work running 2 spray wands off of it?

                    In cold water units I'm looking for the most GPM possible because the more water the less time it takes to clean.

                    I found this link, there's plenty more on Google.

                    http://www.projetpowerwashers.com/
                    GrassMaster, LSF Administrator!
                    LawnPro - Lawn Care Business Software:
                    www.lawnbook.com --- www.lawnservicing.com

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Having one time been in the pressure washing business years ago. IMHO I find the more volume does more work than high pressure PSI. I would go with a 5 GPM or 6 GPM at lower PSI before a 3 GPM at higher PSI. Yes High PSI with high GPM is the strongest unit. In the chemical plants where corrosion and spills are an everyday thing they use 20 GPM units at 10,000 PSI.

                      In my area water is like gold at the prices the water works charge. Therefore their are many low volume washer sold here.


                      You can lead a donkey to water but you can't make the Jackass drink.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        More power.

                        Nothing says you have to use all of it. Having less means more work.
                        GEEVEE®, Pat.Pend. TM, UL

                        If you're gonna be dumb, you better be tough

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          My way of thinking is...

                          If you have enough PSI & GPM, instead of using a 25 degree nozzle, you could use a 45 degree nozzle. Doesn't that make since? More coverage in less time? Isn't that what it's all about?

                          Sorry I'm just a lazy Redneck? My job was to reduce time anyway possible without sacrificing Quality!

                          Not only that but what about when using a Rotary Power Nozzle?

                          I did a lot of concrete & brick surfaces.

                          After about my second job, I got tired of Unloading & Loading the washer. I got me plenty of extra hose so I didn't have to do that anymore.

                          Then the stupidest thing I ever done LOL was I got a Tank to hold my Clorox, the First one was a White 25 or 30 gallon tank. So I didn't have to keep on changing bottles. Well after it sitting for a week or so in the sunlight, I found out I needed one that wouldn't let sunlight in, so I got one that was black I thing it held some kind of Muratic Acid or something.

                          But the thing is, between getting the extra hose & a Large tank to hold my bleach it saved a lot of time & straining my back.

                          I also built a frame to hold everything in place in the back of the truck.

                          Then I got me a 10 foot ladder & built me a 10 ft. extension out of 3/8 water pipe to put on the end of my spray wand, this helped too. Between both of these I could easily knock out 2 stories with little effort.

                          You guys got to remember I was in the Dark ages, I never saw a rotary nozzle or those nice telescoping spray wands until I quit doing pressure washing.

                          Money is Work Divided by Time!
                          GrassMaster, LSF Administrator!
                          LawnPro - Lawn Care Business Software:
                          www.lawnbook.com --- www.lawnservicing.com

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Grassmaster

                            Makes Sense to me.

                            Also, good Model will have a Pressure control valve. Turn it down if you start tearing up wood of other soft material.


                            You can lead a donkey to water but you can't make the Jackass drink.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              I don't recommend buying a pressure washer because it's low dollars earned and you have better things to do ... but if you must ... make sure it comes with a "Spanish" set of operating instructions.

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