SAN ANTONIO – Once the leaves and acorns fall, a pressure washer can help make fall cleanup a breeze, but Consumer Reports warns people not to overdo it.
"You have to remember they can chip paint, dent wood and even etch stone," said Paul Hope, Consumer Reports' home editor.
To be safe, he advises homeowners to get rid of the zero-degree nozzle that comes with many pressure washers because they pose unnecessary risk.
And if homeowners are tempted to power wash their roofs, they may want to think again.
"The kickback could cause a ladder to fall backward," Hope said. "Plus, you end up doing more harm than good to the roofing shingles."
Instead, he advises using a 50-50 mix of bleach and water and let any moss die off.
As to what homeowners can use a pressure washer on, wood siding made of vinyl and fiber cement typically hold up to pressure washing. But they should be careful with aluminum. It can easily dent, so they may want to start on the gentlest setting and work their way up.
Cement and asphalt sidewalks and driveways can hold up to the power. For mold and mildew, homeowners can use lower pressure and some suds. And to tackle grease stains, homeowners need a finer, more targeted stream.
Most decks can be pressure washed. Hope said to start with a lower pressure nozzle to be sure not to etch or mark the wood.
Newer composite decks resist stain and mildew, so homeowners probably don't need to pressure wash those. A light scrub should do the trick.
