Are you looking to clean up your yard, house, driveway, car, or something else around your home? If you are, then you’re probably planning on using a pressure washer, but you might not be looking to do it in the height of summer. That’s where you might start wondering about how the weather affects your ability to pressure wash.
Is it Cold?
“Cold” is generally a relative term, which means that some people might think that it’s cold when others don’t. This could depend on your own personal preference as well as where you grew up or spent most of your time. But in general, when you’re talking about pressure washing you want to consider the temperature at which water freezes.
At 32 degrees water will freeze, but even this doesn’t have to be the end to your chance of pressure washing. In fact, pressure washing can still be done all the way down to 15 degrees if you really want to get out there. At least, as long as it’s not windy you can use your pressure washer around 15 degrees.
What You Need to Know
The most important thing to recognize is that pressure washing is going to leave wet spots around your home or business or wherever you’re getting the job done. When the weather gets cold, and especially if it’s cold and windy or if the temperature is below 15 degrees, you can easily end up with ice on your sidewalks and driveways. Siding and even your vehicle can also become covered in ice, which can cause damage if not taken care of properly.
If you’re using your own tools for pressure washing in cold weather you should also make sure that you’re taking care of the unit even better. Leaving water in the hose lines is not a good idea in the first place, but if you leave that water during cold weather it can freeze, which can damage the hose or even the pressure washer itself. That’s because the freezing water will expand, pushing outward on the different components.
What to Do Next
If you’re thinking about pressure washing your house or your driveway in the cold, make sure you’re checking out the weather before you decide to get started. If the temperature is below 15 degrees then you absolutely want to avoid pressure washing anything. And if it’s below about 35 degrees but windy you should avoid pressure washing, as this will cause a similar effect to the much lower temperature.
Talk with a professional if you’re thinking about getting anything around your home or business pressure washed during cold weather, or hire someone who can get the job done for you. And if you do decide to do it on your own, make sure that you clear out the lines when you’re done. You don’t want to find yourself with a broken pressure washer because you were trying to get one last clean in before the worst of winter hit.
Walt moonlights as a handyman after getting off his busy job as a commodities trader. He enjoys writing about all things related to DIY, home improvement, etc.
