I don’t do a lot of pressure washing but have a few customers who like me to do their houses annually. I am looking to get the right equipment to pressure wash 2 story houses without the use of ladders. I have not yet used any chemicals for washing, just straight water which seems to work fine. I am using a sears bought pressure washer, 3100 PSI @ 2.8 GPM.
My question is… What should I use?
I am considering an 18 foot extension wand or an X-jet.
What would you pro’s recommend?
Thanks!
Wayne
I use an X-jet and a combo of bleach and TSP solution. Always have great results, never killed a plant, and never any complaints.
Not sure if you would get the desired reach with an X-Jet with that particular machine? As for extending wands what i call the… “Big Stick” there worth there weight in gold with certain applications. One suggestion with extending wand is use a 40 tip otherwise…you’ll blow paint off fascia & eaves.
I second that, Craig you are the man/PIMP
Downstreaming with a large orifice tip is the only way to go!
So…what particular tip are you using with success?
Thad at one time we drilled out our 0 degree tip to make it pull chem. Is that what you mean by large orifice?
As a side not we use all Xjets… Our extension pole collect dust.
The XJet has its place, but washing houses isn’t usually one of them, IMNSHO.
It’s too much pressure and at longer ranges the mist that it puts out doesn’t clean as well as a solid stream.
Here are the tools I use:
First pic is what I use on one story houses.
Suttner ST 2305 12 gpm gun and a 1540 tip.
Second pic is a 2540 for low stuff and a 0040 for high stuff. 0040 gives me a solid stream at 30+ feet.
Picture 3 is a Hi-Low nozzle that is killer. It’s like a downstreaming M-Jet. They don’t last forever, but at $12 a pop who cares.
Picture 4- Ball valve and Mosmatic swivel. Use the ball valve to shut off chems when using low-pressure tips. And yes, I have washed housed with just a ball valve. Piece of cake.
Forgot to mention the obvious and most important point:
These are all [I]low pressure[/I]. It’s soooo easy to sell low pressure cleaning or Softwashing versus the typical pressure wash.
Nicely done Thad & very well explained! Good lookin out Stud;)
I don’t really get what the difference is here except the point of entry for the chemical. The X-Jet is low pressure cleaning. If it weren’t it wouldn’t draw the chemical for one and second I have a PSI guage on my unit and the X-Jet is only shooting 500PSI.
What is the advantage of your set up then? I have used the X-jet for 3 years and never had a house that I damaged or had a problem cleaning.
Short answer?
I dont have to carry around a bucket.
It’s like apples & oranges in a sense! Seth has used the analogy of extension ladders vs stack ladders both serve a purpose but…more so then not, it’s personal preference.
X-jet is nice in that the pressure can be regulated and even though it’s not high pressure your chemical goes through the X-jet only but…you have the jug to contend with be it pail,bucket etc.where as with down streaming your chemical goes through the hose only (by passing the pump) you have no jugs to contend with.
It’s been said that you should not exceed 100’ of hose while down streaming i’ve had very good success at 150’ of hose.
Like Thad…i recently started using a ball valve friggin BEAUTIFUL no pressure where down streaming is concerned allowing the chemicals to do the work is the benefit of “low pressure” cleaning.
On the flip side there has been several gigs where all i needed was the X-jet no chems & i was rockin & rollin!!
Right, Craig.
A lot of guys get frustrated with downstreaming and just stick with the XJet. We see them all the time on the PW boards.
Once we show them how to tweak their setup very few of them go back.
With the right downstreamer, gun, and tips I pull chem with 200’ of hose- no problem. It’s very nice to not have to carry anything except a gun and tip and you don’t get the Death Mist that can happen with the X Jet.
An XJet shoots +/- 500 psi.
I sell low psi cleaning- around [I]50 psi[/I].
Check out Michael Kreisle’s videos:
I’m not proselytizing, just sharing info.
I don’t care if you use and X-Jet, downstream, or blast it at 6 inches with a turbo nozzle.
Could you downstream with 300’ of hose with the right equipment? That’s what I’m using now with my X-Jet and have no problems. I love the X-Jet, but really my only issue is the misting. Which really isn’t that big of a deal, just have to rinse the vegetation and surrounding area a bit more.
It’s possible, but not easy.
E-Spec sells a Super Suds Sucker injector that is supposed to pull even with long hose runs but I never tried one.
I’m not arguing at all, in fact I’m very interested in what you are talking about. If I can mount a chem tank and just use a gun, I’m all for it, I just was wondering how much advantage there is to it.
BTW I am ordering some basic cherry, thanks for the link.
Seth, are you using 300’ on a single hose or in 100’ sections coupled together?
2-150’ sections
