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Consumer Reports: Pressure washers can be both helpful, hazardous

A pressure washer can quickly change how things look at a home, but they can also be a hazard. "You have to remember they can chip paint, dent wood and even etch stone," said Paul Hope with Consumer Reports.

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RALEIGH, N.C. — A pressure washer can quickly change how things look at a home, but they can also be a hazard.

"You have to remember they can chip paint, dent wood and even etch stone," said Paul Hope with Consumer Reports.

That's why they recommend getting rid of the zero-degree nozzle.

"We think zero degree nozzles pose a totally unnecessary risk, so if you buy a pressure washer that comes with one, we suggest throwing it out," Hope said.

Thinking of cleaning a roof with one? Consumer Reports says the kickback could cause the ladder to fall backwards, and could end up doing more harm than good to the roofing shingles.

A better alternative is to spray the roof with a fifty-fifty mix of bleach and water and let any moss die on its own, according to Consumer Reports.

Wood and siding made of vinyl, and fiber cement can typically hold up with pressure washing. But use caution with aluminum siding.

"Aluminum siding can actually be easily dented so if you're going to try to pressure wash it, start on the gentlest setting then work your way up," Hope said.

Concrete and asphalt walkways and driveways can stand up to the power. For moldy mildew, use lower pressure and some suds. To tackle grease stains, you'll need a finer, more targeted stream.

Decks can be pressure washed too. Start with a lower pressure nozzle to make sure not to etch or mark the wood.

"Newer composite decking actually resists staining and mildew so you probably don't even need to clean them with a pressure washer. Generally, a light scrubbing will do," Hope said.

The top pressure washer in Consumer Reports’ tests was the Cub Cadet model for $500.

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