Four Tips For Environmentally Friendly Pressure Washing
Dirt and grime have been building up on your home for months or possibly years, and you are ready to wash it all away with a pressure washer. Before renting or buying a pressure washer or hiring a professional to help you, think about the environmental impact of this activity. If you pride yourself on being a steward of the land, there are several ways that you can make even this chore a bit more environmentally friendly. Here are four tips you should try:
1. Choose environmentally friendly cleaners
Rather than using the strongest, harshest cleaners you can find, choose safe, non-toxic and environmentally friendly cleaners. When you use harsh chemicals to clean the exterior of your home, they can be extremely effective at cutting through oil, breaking up dirt and other aspects of cleaning. However, these cleaners run with the rivulets of water down your home, and once they reach the ground, they penetrate it or flow along it.
At this point, the chemicals from the cleaners start their journey into the groundwater or the nearby waterways. By choosing non-toxic cleaners, you protect your landscaping, your pets and even the entire habitat of your area. Even the people responsible for cleaning the Sydney Opera House focus on finding non-toxic cleaners so that they do not have to worry about the impact of cleaners running into the harbour.
2. Use a high-heat pressure washer
No matter how hard cold water hits your home, there are certain things that it cannot remove. Cold water easily removes dirt and debris, but it does not kill mould. If you apply intense heat, however, you will have a stronger chance of being able to kill mould or other environmental toxins. Hot water helps to ensure your home stays safe and healthy for you.
3. Use a diesel-powered pressure washer rather than a petrol-powered one
If you use a diesel-driven pressure water cleaner rather than a petrol-powered one, you enjoy better fuel economy. That means that you waste fewer fossil fuels while cleaning the outside of your home. Diesel boasts better fuel economy than regular petrol because it can change heat into usable energy. Additionally, diesel engines only compress air whereas petrol engines have to compress both air and petrol. This fact also contributes to the improved fuel economy of diesel engines.
In addition to better fuel economy, diesel engines also last longer than petrol-powered engines. According to some estimates, diesel engines run for up to 30,000 hours without needing repairs. In contrast, petrol-powered engines only last a third of that many hours before needing repairs.
Even if you do not buy the pressure washer, paying attention to its durability is important. The longer something lasts, the less likely it is to clutter up a landfill as unrepairable junk. Even repairs can be environmentally taxing as they often send old parts to the landfill.
4. Increase pressure and lower water use
While pressure washing your home, you need to think about more than just the pressure washer, cleaners and type of fuel you use. You also need to think about how much water you use. As a general rule of thumb, as you add pressure, you reduce the amount of water you use.
To make the most of your cleaning experience, look for a pressure washer with as much pressure as possible. The more pressure you have, the more aggressive and effective your cleaning technique will be and more importantly, from an environmental standpoint, the less water you will use.
To get more tips and tricks on how to make your pressure washing experience more environmentally friendly, contact a pressure washing professional.