People often use the terms pressure washing and power washing interchangeably, which can lead to confusion about whether or not there’s actually a difference between the two and whether you can just pick whichever for your home. The difference between pressure washing vs power washing isn’t significant, but it’s there. Here’s what you need to know about the differences between pressure washing vs power washing, what they are, and which one is best for your home.
The Differences Between Pressure Washing Vs Power Washing
If you think pressure washing and power washing are the same thing, you’re not alone. It can be very confusing trying to figure out whether there are differences between pressure washing vs power washing when even in marketing, the two terms are used as if there is no difference. At first glance, you may not even think there’s a difference between pressure washing vs power washing, due to how similar they are.
Both pressure washing and power washing use highly pressurized water in order to clean commercial and residential surfaces. The key difference between pressure washing vs power washing is the temperature. Power washing uses very hot water in addition to high pressure levels to blast away dirt and grime. The combination of heat and pressure makes power washing better suited to heavily soiled areas, especially on surfaces like concrete.
In order to better understand the differences between pressure washing vs power washing, it’s helpful to know what each consists of. Here’s what you need to know about pressure washing vs power washing, how similar they are, and why the difference matters.
What Is Pressure Washing?
Pressure washing uses high-pressure water with a pump and a hose to blast surfaces clean. Pressure washing can use water of varying temperatures and steam in order to remove difficult stains, baked-in dirt and grime, and dust. This cleaning method is great for cleaning your surfaces in a matter of seconds, including more delicate ones, such as brick and stone.
Pressure washers are incredibly versatile and effective. They come in a variety of PSI and GPM numbers, prices, and categories, such as gas and electric. They should be handled by professionals, due to the fact that the highly pressurized water can damage some surfaces in the wrong hands. Another reason why pressure washing is a professional job is because without the proper training, you could not only damage your surfaces, but also hurt yourself.
There are many benefits to pressure washing, from saving you money, increasing the value of your property, making your house healthier, and cleaning away all kinds of dirt and debris.
What Is Power Washing?
Just like pressure washing, power washing uses highly pressurized water in order to clean your surfaces. As previously mentioned, the main difference between pressure washing vs power washing is that power washing uses very high temperatures in addition to high water pressure in order to do so. The heat adds extra force, which makes power washing ideal for hard-to-remove stains, such as from oil or grease, or chewing gum, or muck and mildew.
The combination of heat and pressure means that you should only ever hire a professional to do a power washing job. In the wrong hands, high force combined with high heat can seriously damage your surfaces. When done professionally, though, power washing is ideal for big jobs, and the heat helps clean faster.
Power washing is sometimes called hot water pressure washing, given that the temperature is the only real difference between pressure washing and power washing.
Pressure Washing Vs Power Washing: Which Is Best?
Neither pressure washing nor power washing is better than the other. They both are excellent cleaning methods that are better suited to different purposes. If you’re trying to decide between pressure washing vs power washing, in general, it’s recommended that pressure washers be used for residential properties while power washers are used for commercial spaces. This is because power washing can get surfaces cleaned deeply and fast, making them great for a big job.
Additionally, power washing can damage your home, if it isn’t done by a professional. Whether you choose pressure washing or power washing will depend on your needs. The professionals at True Clean Power Wash & Seal will be able to help you determine the best option for you.
Trying To Decide Between Pressure Washing Vs Power Washing?
True Clean Power Wash & Seal offers professional pressure washing and power washing services. Contact us today for any questions or to schedule your pressure washing or power washing service!