Short answer: Most people use power washing and pressure washing to mean the same thing, cleaning a surface with a stream of water under real pressure. The technical difference some people point to is that power washing implies heated water, while pressure washing uses unheated water, but in everyday use the two names get swapped constantly. What actually matters for your property is not which name gets used, but whether the pressure level and method match the surface.
Where the two names come from
Power washing and pressure washing both describe cleaning with a forced stream of water, and the distinction some people draw is heat: power washing with hot water, pressure washing without it. In everyday use, homeowners and businesses use the terms as complete synonyms, so hearing one or the other does not tell you much on its own.
The more useful question is not which term a company uses, but what pressure level and equipment they are actually applying to your specific surface.
Why the surface matters more than the name
A roof, stucco wall, vinyl siding, or brick gets soft washed: a cleaning solution applied at low pressure that kills mildew and algae without the risk of cracking stucco, stripping roof granules, or forcing water behind siding. High pressure on those surfaces causes damage no matter what you call the process.
Concrete, on the other hand, is dense enough to take real pressure well, and a surface cleaner, the flat rotating attachment used on driveways and sidewalks, is what gets an even, stripe-free result on that material.
How this plays out around your property
A pool cage is a good example of why one label does not fit a whole property: the deck gets a pressure clean since it is concrete, while the aluminum frame and screens get a gentle soft wash, since screens and thin metal cannot take the same pressure a deck can.
A patio works the same way, with the concrete or pavers getting a surface cleaner and a screened porch or lanai getting a soft wash on the frame. Matching the method to the material is what actually protects the surface, regardless of which term describes the visit.
Questions worth asking instead
Rather than asking whether a company does power washing or pressure washing, it is more useful to ask what method they use on each part of your property, since the roof, walls, concrete, and screens all call for different approaches.
A company that soft washes roofs and walls while using a surface cleaner on concrete is matching the tool to the surface, which is the part that actually protects your property either way.
How this shows up in pricing
Because the method differs by surface, so does the price. A house wash typically runs $279 in Volusia County. A driveway runs $212 and a patio runs $149. Each price is built from your property's own size rather than one flat rate for the whole visit.
In Volusia County
Volusia County property records cover 235,236 homes. Puma's price list runs a typical house wash at $279 and a typical driveway at $212 whichever term you use to describe the visit.
Questions people ask
Does power washing use hotter water than pressure washing?
That is the technical distinction some people draw, though in everyday use the two terms get used to mean the same thing across the industry.
Which one is right for my roof?
Neither term matters as much as the method: a roof needs a soft wash at low pressure, since high pressure strips the granules off shingles.
Can the same crew do both concrete and stucco in one visit?
Yes, and the method just changes by surface: real pressure with a surface cleaner on concrete, a soft wash at low pressure on stucco and other walls.
Does it cost more to have both methods used on one property?
No, each surface is priced on its own regardless of method, and bundling three or more services together saves 10% off the combined total.
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