Choosing between a gas and electric power washer.

Looking at the pros and cons of both.

Every spring my house looks as if it spent a week in the tropical rain forest. Green scum starts growing on the siding, the back deck looks as if it were used as a mud wrestling match, and the driveway begins to look like I started an oil change business on it. If that isn't bad enough, the pollen begins to settle and starts WW3 with my sinuses, which they always lose.   

Anyone that has ever tried to clean this nasty off of their house knows that a garden hose just won't cut it, so many begin looking for a power washer for around the house. With so many on the market, which is the right one for you? In this article, we will take a look at two different type of pressure washers (gas & electric) to help you make a more educated decision before you make that purchase.

Electric Pressure Washer

The first type of pressure washer that we will look at is the electric version. Each type offers it's own pluses and negatives, but I believe the electric offers a bit more positive for the diy'er. First of all, the electric washers are lighter than the gas models. Most of them are made from a hard plastic rather than metal, so this will drastically reduce it's weight. You also have to remember that a gallon of gasoline weighs around 6.3 lbs. on its own. 

Because electric washers do not have the standard gas motor, pull start, carburetor, exhaust and everything else a gas washer needs, the electric washers may offer more features such as a hose and cord winder, and better storage for your wand and tips. 

Probably the best feature of an electric washer is how easy they are to start. With my gas washer, I always have a hard time getting it to run after it sits for the winter months. Even though its in the garage, and I put fuel stabilizer in after the last use, I still spend 30 minutes pulling on that cord trying to get it started for the first time of the year. The other thing to not here, it that there is absolutely no maintenance that goes into an electric washer. No oil changes, no spark plug changes, and no fuel drainage or stabilizing that needs to be done. Just plug it in and go.

With all the positives that I found using an electric washer, they still have a few drawbacks. The first one we will talk about is the most important one, POWER. Though the electric washers do a much better job that a regular garden hose, the gas powered washers are far superior to their electric counterpart. The electric washers are great for washing the car, deck and some mold off of the house, but the gas washers just do a better job.  

Gas Pressure Washer

As mentioned above, gas washers are the big brother of the electric washers. Once you get past all of the maintenance that may come with it, the gas models can do just about any job you put them up against. These washers are great for not only the diy jobs, but also industrial cleaning applications. If you have heavy dirt, mold or grease build up, the gas washer is sure to to blast it off with ease, but just make sure you are using the correct tip as to much pressure can peel of paint or damage your siding.

Not only are the gas washers more powerful, but their just build stronger. While electric washers are about 90% plastic, the gas machines are made of metal to help hold up to vibration of the motor and the job site they are working in. This also makes them a bit heavy to move around, and also harder to store as they are generally larger than their little brothers.

With power in its corner, the gas motors do have a few drawbacks that hurt them in the ring. The first is noise. Most electric washers only go up to about 68 dB while gas washer can hit 80 dB to 95 dB easily. Electric models are much quieter, and are only as loud as a sweeper that you would use to clean your house. You will also have to look at hazards such as Carbon Dioxide fumes, and a hot motor/exhaust. 

With that being said, because of the heavy build quality, and mobility of the gas washer, it will be a much better choice for bigger jobs that need a bit more muscle. As for price, a good electric washer will run you around $200.00 as a good gas washer will run you around $300.00.

Summary  

So we looked at what both the gas and electric washer have to offer, as well as what they lack, but here is a list of pros and cons that we found for both. 

Gas Pros:

1. Heavy duty build (almost always metal)

2. Much more power for larger/harder jobs around the work site and at home.

3. No electric cord to plug in.

Gas Cons:

1. Heavy and harder to store.

2. Much louder than the electric models.

3. Yearly maintenance such as oil change, gas stabilizers and spark plug.

4. Much harder to start for the first time in spring. 

Electric Pros:

1. Much lighter to handle. Anyone of just about any age or build can handle an electric pressure washer with ease.

2. Extremely quiet and can be turned on with a flip of a switch.

3. No yearly maintenance. 

4. Offers a few more features such as hose winders and soap/storage areas. 

Electric Cons:

1. Lack of power. 

2. Made almost entirely of plastic.

3. Not well suited for larger jobs.

4. Will need to be plugged in to operated (less mobile).

Ending Thoughts

So at the end of the day, it really depends on what you are looking for in a pressure washer. Most people including myself) are looking for power to tackle any job. Many others just need something to clean their boat with, and don't need the hassle that the gas machines bring. As long as you get that deck, driveway and siding clean, the wife will be happy, and I think either one will do the job just fine.