Spring is finally here! And for homeowners, that usually marks the start of the home improvement season. Many of us live by the “Do-It-Yourself and Do It Right” mindset, and it could be rather expensive to purchase a certain tool, or piece of equipment, that you may only use once or twice. Rental centers are growing every day, and are making it much more accessible, and affordable, for anyone to acquire the right tool for the job, and at the same time, instilling the personal satisfaction and pride that you were able to do the job yourself. Everything from carpet shampooers to floor polishers, drum sanders to wallpaper steamers, tillers to chainsaws, wood chippers, excavators, and even bulldozers are all available for anyone to rent on a day-to-day basis.
When the snow melts, and the temperatures begin to rise, you may ask yourself: “Well, where do I begin?” The harsh winter season could leave certain areas in your property rather filthy, whether its cinders built up in your driveway, or dirty vehicles and lawn equipment. If you are planning on painting your house later in the spring or summer, you’ll need to give the surface a good wash before you begin. So a good place to start would be with a pressure washer.
Power washing is becoming increasingly popular as a cleaning method, making even the biggest job quick and painless. Pressure washers come in a variety of sizes, and can be used for anything from cleaning your driveway, your car, your patio or deck, your house, or as preparation for re-painting. When choosing which pressure washer will suffice for your particular job, you’ll want to compare the cleaning power, which is measured in PSI (pounds per square inch). Pressure washers rated at 1300 to 2200 are recommended for smaller jobs, such as cleaning a small area, cars, lawn equipment or getting rid of mud and dirt. If you are looking to clean wood or vinyl siding on your house, you’ll need a pressure washer which runs around 2500 to 3500 PSI. An effective method of pressure washing is to spray horizontally with smooth left to right movements covering a three or four foot area at a time. The distance between the surface you are cleaning and the spray head will vary depending on the width settings, PSI, and the job you are doing. If you spray too close, you may damage the surface. If you are too far away, it may be ineffective. To test the power of the pressure washer, try standing back a few feet from the surface, and slowly bring the wand closer. With the right preparation and the proper technique, pressure washing will make life much easier, allowing you to overcome the burden of cleaning large areas in a timely manner that will make all of your neighbors jealous!
Another common outdoor spring project encountered by many homeowners is paving their driveways or walkways around their home. Rental centers carry a variety of equipment that not only makes your job much easier, but also delivers a professional appearance. Concrete, asphalt and stone driveways each have their benefits, and you’ll have to consider what characteristics you are looking for, such as durability, versatility, and maintenance. After you determine which surface best fits your needs, the next step will be to select a compactor. For a larger driveway, the vibratory dual-drum ride-on roller is the easiest and most effective route. The Dynapac CC900 works very well, and is small enough to be transported on most trailers. For smaller driveways and walkways, vibratory plate compactors and jumping jacks offer a nice alternative, but tend to be more physically demanding.
Working your way inside the house, you may find that it may be the right time to refinish your floors. The first step you may need to take is to utilize a sander. For wavy, uneven floors, the drum sander provides adequate force to level the floor as far as you need it to go, varying on the grit you decide to use. Along with the drum sander is the edge sander, to get into those hard-to-reach places along the walls. For a more level floor, you’ll want to use a vibrating orbital sander, which will leave you with a nice, smooth surface for your finish.
Mini-excavators ranging in sizes from about 2,500 lbs. to over 17,000 lbs. could turn a job which would normally take days of physical labor, into a quick and fun experience. Yanmar’s series of excavators offer some of the most innovative and technologically advanced features today. The Yanmar ViO75 is capable of digging up to fifteen feet deep, and can be combined with various attachments, including an auger, grapple, and hydraulic thumb. The smallest of the mini-excavators, the SV08, could go up and down steps, and is small enough to fit into the average doorway! It is ideal for confined spaces and a workhorse for housing foundations, indoor renovations, pipe laying and landscaping.
Rental centers are ideal outlets for homeowners to find the quality tools and equipment they need to get the job done with professional results, and offer a cost efficient alternative to hiring contractors, while instilling the personal satisfaction that comes with doing the job yourself.
About the Author: Born in Somerville, New Jersey in 1980, and raised in Waymart, Pennsylvania, Jesse Litchman graduated from Western Wayne High School in 1998, and achieved a Bachelor's Degree in Communication Studies in 2003 from East Stroudsburg University. He currently works in marketing and sales at Rent-E-Quip, Inc. in Honesdale, Pennsylvania, where he purchases and sells Yanmar excavator parts, creates various advertisements and editorials which appear in local publications, implements direct mail and internet marketing campaigns, and more. Jesse is an avid music fan, enjoying a vast array of music from bluegrass and jazz, to funk and improvisational and classic rock. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family and friends (and pets), fishing, New York Yankees baseball, reading, and playing various percussion instruments. He follows politics and current events, and tries to promote and maintain environmental awareness.
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