I purchased this piece of equipment well over a year ago specifically to pressure wash my townhouse. White becomes gray becomes yuck after a few years and washing it down with a hose no longer cuts the mustard. Time to get out the power equipment and go to town. Or at least to power wash the townhouse. I had been debating whether or not to get a company to come and do the job so they could complete the job, Such as, www.powerwashingspring.com.

I devoted some time to research in order to get a feel for what I wanted and what was out there. I definitely didn't want an electric power washer. Way too underpowered. I needed at least 2500 PSI which meant a gas powered engine. And I wanted at least 2 gallons per minute of water flow.

This was the first time I owned a Generac anything and while the name had a good reputation I was hesitant to buy because it was unknown to me. But there was a dealer down the street who could service what I bought so I closed my eyes and leaped. I'm glad I did.

I purchased the Generac 2,700 PSI 2.3 GPM 196cc OHV Gas Powered Residential Pressure Washer through Amazon because it was on sale and I got free shipping, saving me well over $70 overall. The last time I used a power washer was at least 20 years ago and the state of the art has progressed well beyond that piece of crap I owned back then. And the Generac isn't exactly cutting edge by any stretch of imagination.

Other than nitpicking about the wash bottle at the bottom moving around and the suction used to drain it being poor I don't really have any problems with this machine.

There is a lot to like about it though. It is well balanced and the 10 inch sold tires enable easy maneuvering with this machine. Pulling it over uneven ground is a snap and pulling it up stairs is no problem with those big tires.

The engine is produced by Generac. Or at least that's what they say. But it is a 196 cc overhead value engine that runs real strong, the throttle responds quickly to the demand for pressure when you pull the trigger, the controls are easy to use and it starts right up on the first or second pull. And it has a low oil pressure cut off switch, a must these days when replacing a burned up engine means replacing the entire machine.

I know nothing about the high speed water pumps on pressure washers other than the knowledge that you'd better have the water hooked up and turned on before you fire up this baby. It seems that the water acts both as a lubricant and a coolant for the water pump, so just a short time without water will burn that sucker up. First step....turn the on water, then fire up the engine. Always. I have no way to actually measure the water pressure at the end of the lance, but it sure will peel your skin off fast. This is why a pressure washing service in Houston is likely to use them. Sounds like plenty of pressure to me.

The gun and lance are described a ergonomic and I was surprised how long it took before my hands and wrists began to tire. Unfortunately they tired long before the job was actually finished, at least when I was power washing the rear deck, so I wound up using two hands to wash most of the deck. The closer the nozzle is to the work surface the more back pressure you get on the gun/lance.

I was pleased to find that the washer came with four different nozzles to cover a wide variety of jobs the average person will do around the house. There is even a nice visual reference for the various nozzles right on the nozzle holder below the handle.

The supplied hose was long enough (25') to get me and the gun/lance up 20 feet to clean the house. You may purchase additional lengths if you feel so moved, either from Generac or the aftermarket. Just make sure they are rated higher than the pressure you are using and bring your current hose with you when buying another just to make sure the quick disconnects mate properly.

Speaking of disconnects, the lance screws into the gun and the nozzles quick connect on to the end of the lance. Please make sure that you check that the lance remains properly screwed in now and then as you work. It tends to loosen from the vibration and you don't want the lance to shoot out when you are using it because it can bounce right back in your face. In fact, in the wrong or careless hands, this machine can be down right dangerous. Secure the kids and the cats before using it. And keep your focus at all times.

The gun/lance have a built in holder as you can see in the picture further up, and the hose can be rolled up and hung on a large hook in the back. Because the washer remains upright it takes up less space when stored. And the handle quick disconnects if you need to pack and/or ship it somewhere. All in all a well thought out design. There is even a "step" at the bottom front where you can put your foot to steady the washer while you pull start the engine.

I power washed the deck here this past summer. It had not been cleaned since it was built 15 years ago and it was in terrible shape. The power washer made quick work of the job and I will write about this under the "Projects" heading. The picture at the top header of this article is the deck before, the image below is of the deck after. A remarkable difference.

I would purchase this baby if the need arose again, though I might go one more size up from here.

Comments, thoughts, suggestions? Leave them below.

Cognitive Dissonance