Pressure Washing Accidents By Homeowners!

Here are a few stories of homeowners who decided to try doing their own Pressure Washing and found out first hand how dangerous Power Washers can be if you don't know how to handle one.


Power Washer Accident
There's been an accident in my family that has left us on edge.
My parents are retired and living their dream life on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. They built their dream home which includes a boat dock/lift.
My dad has been having difficulty navigating his boat into the lift because of the hurricanes that have happened over the last year or so, which had brought in lots of sand that interfered with the motor while maneuvering the boat in.
Dad has a power washer. He was using it last Thursday to clean off his dock and a very bad light bulb went off in his head. He came up with the idea to hop in the water (about chest deep), with the base of the power washer on the dock and the nozzle in his hand...he would blow the sand away from the dock. He went into the house, put on his bathing suit and a pair of tennis shoes without socks then headed back to the dock.
After working for quite awhile, he lost his balance (not falling completely, just a slip that he corrected and remained standing)...in the midst of correcting his balance, he swished the flow of the power washer over the top of his shoe. He said he instantly felt nauseous but decided to continue his work and finish his job of removing the sand from his dock area.
By the time he got back to the house, the pain was horrible....he took of his shoe and found his foot had swollen more than half its size. It was bleeding from a cut on his second toe close to the base of the toe. My mother had him wash out the wound, soak his foot in Epsom's salt and then used mecuricom (I know I'm spelling that wrong...when I was a kid, we called it "monkey blood").
To make a long story a little shorter, my dad refused my mom's request to go to the hospital, choosing to wait until the following morning to go to the Dr. The Dr. against his better judgement, allowed my dad to stay home through the weekend if he promised to stay off his feet with his foot propped up. He had an appointment to go back to the dr. on Monday afternoon. He was given shots of antibiotics, etc. On Monday, after seeing the dr. again, it was decided he should go to the hospital to see a specialist...this didn't happen until the next morning. Because of the delay, there was horrible infection as the power washer had pushed in alot of sand and yuck from the dirty, murky water by the dock.
We've been sick as it looked as if my dad would have to have part of his foot amputated. (My dad is totally passionate about golf, which he has recently began playing again, looking forward to July when my husband and all our kids will be flying down for a visit...my husband is an avid golfer.
The main reason I'm even posting about this is because I believe that most people dont realize how dangerous power washers can be. Before my dad's accident, his neighbor had been washing off his deck while barefoot....accidentally washing over his bare toes breaking the bones of three of them.
Just last week my husband was pressure washing our driveway and my 13 yr. old daughter asked if she could do it saying that her dad had let her at his house...Kem said no, that he didn't think it was safe....but we really had no idea.
The specialist working with my dad said that he's seen so many pressure washer accidents and that the parts of the body that come in contact with the spray are basically pulverized leaving all tissue, muscle, etc., mush. He said that my dad's foot (the three toes in the middle), since the accident, consist primarily of bone, skin and some veins. ugghh...
Please be careful if you or anyone in your family use a pressure washer. They can be very dangerous.
Posted at 08:48 AM Permalink

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PowerWasher can cause real harm, visit http://www.pressurewasherbitz.com where we will add some safety instructions.
Posted by: Steve Oct 26, 2008 at 01:45 PM

Well i unfortunately found this out yesterday. I was using a garage pressure washer with my five year old son, he was only holding the hose i had total control on the gun end. There was a wee leak in it spraying a little but as someone had used it before me i thought it was ok, Next thing the little hole in the hose burst and the hose went out of control, i grabbed the hose to stop my son getting hurt and the water cut right through my left thumb, so painfull. Had to go to hospital and get it cleaned and fixed up, and get another tennus. Definately a dangerous piece of equipment but there was no-one there to check it or help.
Posted by: louise Nov 05, 2007 at 09:04 AM

I accidentally power washed a portion of my arm a few weeks ago, and let me tell you...it hurt like crap, and I'm sure that a gross scar will be visible for the rest of my life. I had no idea how much damage a power washer could do until I came into personal contact with one. People of all ages should use extreme caution when using one - never let your guard down for a second!
Posted by: Liz Jul 09, 2007 at 11:50 PM

That's so horrible! I'm so sorry!!! This exact thing happened to my Uncle and he almost lost his arm. He dropped the nozzle and it went off. If it would have hit just 1/4" over, it could have killed him. People do not realize how dangerous these things are (as you said)! Happy thoughts for your Dad and your family!!!
Posted by: Carrie May 17, 2006 at 11:22 PM

Oh my Gosh!!!!! I had no idea that those pressure washers could do something like that! I told my son about this (he uses one to paint with) and various odd jobs..he said Yes...they are extremely dangerous...and that many people get hurt badly every year from these..Thanks Tracy for posting this!! I hope your Dad is doing GREAT!!!!
Posted by: vicci_ann May 17, 2006 at 12:45 PM

oh goodness, who knew? thanks for that, and i hope he's doing better...
Posted by: kelly rae May 16, 2006 at 06:53 PM

REally hope your Dad is ok! Wow! I've never had need for a power washer, but I will never forget your situation with your Dad!
Posted by: PJ May 15, 2006 at 08:17 PM

Wow, what a terrible thing for your dad to have to go through -- prayers for all. Thanks for posting so we can put this in our "common sense file."
Posted by: Cindy Ericsson May 14, 2006 at 05:23 PM

What a horrific tale, and I can see it would make you feel completley out of sorts. I hope he heals quickly and that all turns out well. best to you and yours!
Posted by: Ulla May 14, 2006 at 09:41 AM

Geesh, we use ours all the time here and lend it out to neighbors -- will definitely be more careful and we're hoping your dad feels better and heals right up so he can get golfing with his buddies soon!
Posted by: kristina May 13, 2006 at 09:05 AM

OH my goodness, I had no idea these washers were so dangerous! Hope your dad is on the mend. Thank you SOSOSO much for the email messages and photos you sent -- lots of ideas for projects. I'll send pics of what I do once I get started on something! And YES let's do that interview when you have a chance... xoxox L
Posted by: knit and purl grrl May 12, 2006 at 11:16 PM

Tracy, I am so sorry to hear about your dad... I do hope they find a way to spare his foot. I had no idea power washers were that powerful and dangerous, very scary.
Posted by: melanie komisarski May 12, 2006 at 07:35 PM

I'm so sorry to hear about your Father - He will be in my prayers. What a coincidence - We live in Hertford, NC which is not far from the Outer Banks. Darlene
Posted by: darlene koppel May 12, 2006 at 07:35 AM

Tracy- your parents are in my prayers, please keep us informed on how your dad is fairing...I hope he recovers and gets to continue his golf game!
Posted by: kim boehm May 12, 2006 at 05:24 AM

Oh Tracy, I am so sorry to hear about your dad. I will send positive thoughts that he is ok and his foot is spared. I hope he is back on the links soon. Hugs
Posted by: Heather May 11, 2006 at 10:42 PM

thanks for posting that..I do hope your dad is going to be ok. My husband just bought a power washer so I told him all about what happened with your dad. Thanks again for the warning. Sonya
Posted by: Sonya May 11, 2006 at 08:07 PM

scary. i will keep your dad in my prayers.
Posted by: laura=hackberryhaven May 11, 2006 at 06:57 PM

Oh wow Tracy! I am so sorry your dad has been hurt and that it's this serious! I can slightly relate. Once I went to a wand wash car wash and I was washing my car. At one point, I got bubbles on the back of my hand. I thought "Oh I will just rinse that off." and aimed the nozzle at my hand, not even stopping to think that a wand wash really is just another name for POWER WASHER. Needless to say, I got the bubbles off, along with several layers of skin. It was such a clean blast that it didn't even bleed initially, but man, it hurt like H*LL!!! I felt like woofing my cookies. I went home, bandaged it up and it took weeks to heal. I had a scar for a couple of years-it was pretty bad. Yes, I think it is wise to NOT ALLOW CHILDREN to use a power washer-anthing blasting under high pressure like that is dangerous. If it can take paint off a building, imagine how that feels blasting a layer (or several) of skin off-NOT FUN and once the damage is done, there's no fixin' it!
Posted by: Lelainia May 11, 2006 at 03:44 PM

My thoughts are with you and your dad, Tracy! That's a very scary thing and just shows how we take things for granted and don't really think of possible dangers in our lives...I sincerely hope he recovers quickly!
Posted by: Dawn May 11, 2006 at 01:00 PM
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Chronicles of a retired home inspector ROOF CLEANING
POSTED: September 28, 2009
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By DICK SENA, RETIRED HOME INSPECTOR, ASHVILLE, NY
Regardless of what the calendar says, Fall is here. Leaves changing and falling, cool evenings, dew on the vehicles every morning, and all of those projects that need to be done before the white stuff arrives. Lately I have had several people ask me the same questions, what is the black “stuff” on my roofing shingles? Can I get rid of it before winter? And how can I prevent it? Well, I have first hand experience with it because I dealt with it on my own house last year after watching it get worse over the two previous years. Just look around, you will see this in various degrees everywhere you drive. Mine showed up on relatively new roof of 8 years old at the time. I first contacted our regional GAF roofing representative several years ago after noticing it on so many roofs I inspected. As I climbed roof after roof I looked around neighborhoods and saw the dark blotches and streaks on the majority of homes. Of course he was very aware of the issue as he said he fields the same question many times per week. He explained it was an air born fungus that has migrated from the south. As he explained, I recalled all the blackened roofs on trips I’ve taken to Florida in the past. He said as it has made its way North, similar to a virus or an invasive species. Companies have experimented with additives to shingle granular to combat the problem. Shingle manufacturers like G.A.F. started adding zinc to the composition of their shingles. Many of you may have heard or seen the zinc strips on roofs that leach zinc compound onto the roof leaving a protective film called metal salts that mildew, mold, moss, etc. won’t grow on. I noticed this action years ago. Early in my construction days all shingles under pipe penetrations with galvanized flashings were perfectly clean. Galvanized metal has zinc in it. Copper flashings had similar effects. Someone had an "ah ha" moment and came up with full-length strips of zinc. I’ve used them with fairly good results and have some on my home. However, they did not control the airborne fungus although it worked great for moss growth.
It’s a complicated problem. Black roof algae as it’s commonly known as, is very common effecting 80% of the U.S. I’ve researched the problem and the hot humid states are the worst. A Florida home can be completely covered within four years while we see it sparingly on mainly north facing roofs. Black fungal growth can damage shingles and shorten life spans. Three methods of cleaning are suggested. 1. Trisodium Phosphate (TSP) and a touch of liquid soap. 2. Oxygen bleach 3. TSP 1 cup Bleach 1 gallon Water 4 gallons mixture There are many roof cleaners on the market but most are very expensive and require washing, brushing, etc. The most important thing is to be as gentle as possible. DO NOT POWERWASH! If you hire someone to clean your roof and they want to use a power washer even at a low pressure, tell them to take a hike, nicely of course. Any brushing, scrubbing, or pressure washing will remove the mineral gradules and limit the manufacturers warrantied lifespan of the shingles. I used Clorox. I know some people will disagree with me but it worked great. I treated the streaks with full strength in a pump sprayer, then I did the entire roof (only north side effected) with a 50/50 mix to even it out, hosed it off and with no effort it came off and has stayed off for 2 years. It did not kill any grass, flowers or plants. And hardly any grandules were lost. Of course no matter what you do, wet everything down first, don’t try it in full sun, cover and protect what you can and be careful! Stay off of steep roofs without fall protection, and make sure if you hire someone, they know what they are doing and that they have good insurance.
A few other points. Moss is also a problem. You will have to scrape it off first before washing. Lichens, often confused with black algae, are growths that look lace like. They eat into the shingle and can cause holes, I’ve also seen them on my roof and they really stick on the shingles. I treated them and left them on because when I scraped them off, it took the grandules with it. Finally if cleaning doesn’t work then you may have a defective shingle. The problem is called extractive bleeding and a supplier or reputable roofing contractor can help you out if needed.
Sticking with the roofing theme, if you need a roof, get ready for a shock, sticker shock that is. Shingles have skyrocketed and just went up another 5% on September 1st. Labor has always been high due to the extremely high cost of insurance, roofers have the highest cost per $100 for workman’s comp insurance. It’s been said that there is a shortage of asphalt due to the stimulus package road construction in the country. I'd like to know where because we surely don’t see any. I think most of you would agree we deserve a little of that money and they can start with I-86 from Salamanca to the PA border!
I’ve written in the past a lot about roofing and the high percentage of homes that needed roofs during my inspection years. Be careful when it comes to having an inspector look at a roof on the house you might buy or at that matter, a roofer pricing out a new roof. I’ve heard so many stories about additional costs of removal because of hidden roof layers. I’ve said it before and it’s worth repeating, don’t use an inspector that doesn’t go on the roof. You just can’t see everything from the ground. Just last week someone told me that their inspector refused to go onto the roof. This leads me into the story about hidden layers. Although I’ve seen it many times, roofers covering up the ends and edges with drip edge to make it appear like one layer, this was excessive. I was called in to do a structural inspection of an attic where the roof sagged in multiple areas. I noticed right away an extra wide drip edge, a custom made one I thought because I’ve never seen one so large. (A drip edge is the metal edging going around the roof to form a more durable edge and to create a drip lip to help funnel water into a gutter or away from siding and trim) Once inside the attic I found several split rafters and heavily stressed ridge boards and valley rafters, this was an old home with strong durable old growth lumber so experience told me that it wasn’t just the framing or heavy snow loads creating this problem. I went up on the roof that didn’t look too old and bent up the metal edge and found 5 layers of shingles! This incredible amount of weight the roof was never designed for was splitting and cracking rafters. Add snow load and you are asking for a disaster. I found out later, the previous inspector checked off 1 layer of roofing on his report. The most I found was 7 layers of a porch/foyer roof. The top layer was nailed with 3 inch roofing nails! Be smart; don’t be afraid to question people. It’s sad how many hidden problems I’ve found over the years and it burns me when it’s all about cheating someone or being too lazy to climb a roof, crawl into an attic or crawl space. Please always use the utmost caution when going onto a roof.
Thanks to all my readers and all the positive comments I’ve received and as always don’t hesitate to suggest a topic or ask a question. Until next time.
Dick received his Construction Technology Degree from Alfred State Building. He has taught adult education classes in building technology for several years for Jamestown Community College. He has over 30 years construction experience and twenty-three years with “Dick Sena’s Custom Building and Remodeling, Inc.” His experiences also include twenty-three years of home inspection experience with “Home Inspection Services of Jamestown, Inc.” After several years with the town of North Harmony planning board he is now an official town councilman.He is on the planning board town of North Harmony and has spent a number of years coaching girl’s softball. He and his wife, Carol, live with their four daughters in Ashville, NY.

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