# FAQ — Tools — Renovate Guide
**Author:** Frank Mercer, Licensed GC (Ret.) | HAAG Certified Roof Inspector

**Q: What's the difference between an impact driver and a drill?**
**A:** A drill spins continuously and is designed for boring holes. An impact driver delivers rotational bursts — up to 3,600 impacts per minute — making it ideal for driving long screws and lag bolts without stripping heads or torquing your wrist. For most homeowners, you need both. If I had to pick one first tool, I'd take the impact driver. You'll drive 10 screws for every hole you bore.

**Q: DeWalt vs Milwaukee — which brand is better for homeowners?**
**A:** Milwaukee wins for homeowners in 2024. Their M18 battery platform covers over 250 tools, the batteries hold charge longer in storage, and their One-Key tracking feature is genuinely useful. DeWalt's 20V MAX system is excellent and slightly cheaper to get into, but Milwaukee's tool quality at the mid-range price point — think the M18 Compact Drill at around $99 bare tool — edges DeWalt out. If you already own DeWalt batteries, stay DeWalt. Don't split ecosystems.

**Q: How much should I spend on my first cordless drill?**
**A:** Spend between $100 and $150 for a kit that includes two batteries and a charger. That range gets you a brushless motor, which runs cooler and lasts 3x longer than brushed motors. Below $80 you're buying a brushed tool that will die on you in two years. The Milwaukee M18 Compact Brushless Drill/Driver kit at $149 and the DeWalt DCD777 kit at around $129 are both honest buys at that range.

**Q: What is the best cordless drill for homeowners in 2024?**
**A:** The Milwaukee 2801-22CT M18 Compact Brushless Drill is my top pick. It weighs 3.4 lbs with a battery, runs at 500 in-lbs of torque, and the M18 batteries will power tools you buy five years from now. For pure value, the DeWalt DCD777C2 is a close second at around $129 for a two-battery kit. Either choice is a tool you'll hand down to your kids.

**Q: Can I use an impact driver to drill holes?**
**A:** Yes, with limitations. You can use an impact driver with a hex-shank drill bit to bore holes up to about 1/2 inch in wood. Beyond that diameter, the impact mechanism makes it hard to control, and you'll wander off your mark. For drilling into concrete, metal, or anything requiring precision, use a hammer drill or standard drill. Impact drivers are not replacements for drills — they're complements to them.

**Q: DeWalt or Milwaukee for a contractor building a deck?**
**A:** Milwaukee, specifically the M18 FUEL line. The M18 FUEL Circular Saw, the M18 FUEL Impact Driver, and the M18 FUEL Drill are all top-tier production tools. Milwaukee's FUEL motors are more powerful watt-for-watt than DeWalt's FLEXVOLT equivalents at the same voltage. For deck framing, you'll be driving 3-inch structural screws all day — Milwaukee's 2,000 in-lbs impact driver handles that without complaint. DeWalt FLEXVOLT is excellent for cutting, but as a full ecosystem for carpentry, Milwaukee is tighter.

**Q: What's the best circular saw for a homeowner who only cuts occasionally?**
**A:** The DeWalt DCS391B 20V MAX is the best entry point — lightweight at 7.2 lbs, 6-1/2 inch blade, 3,000 RPM, and if you already own any 20V DeWalt tool, you have a compatible battery. If you're buying fresh with no existing batteries, buy the Milwaukee M18 2730-21 kit. For occasional cuts — ripping plywood for a shed, cutting deck boards — either saw is more than sufficient and neither requires more than a 5.0Ah battery to perform well.

**Q: How do I know if my circular saw blade needs replacing?**
**A:** Three signs: the saw bogs down mid-cut on material it used to slice clean, you see burn marks along the cut line, or the blade sounds like it's laboring — a lower pitch instead of a clean whine. Pull the blade and look at the carbide teeth. If tips are chipped, rounded, or missing, replace it. A standard 24-tooth framing blade costs $12–$20 and should be replaced after roughly 200 linear feet of pressure-treated lumber. Don't push a dull blade; you'll ruin the motor bearings.

**Q: Is Ryobi good enough for home use or should I buy DeWalt?**
**A:** Ryobi ONE+ is genuinely good for light homeowner use — assembling furniture, hanging shelves, occasional trim work. The ONE+ platform has over 260 tools and the batteries are inexpensive. Where Ryobi falls short is sustained workload. Run a Ryobi drill for 4 hours straight on a deck project and you'll feel the difference in heat and slowdown compared to a Milwaukee or DeWalt. If you're doing a project every few months, Ryobi saves you money. If you're doing a project every month, spend the extra $50 and get DeWalt.

**Q: What PSI pressure washer do I need for cleaning a driveway?**
**A:** You need a minimum of 3,000 PSI and 2.5 GPM for concrete driveways. Consumer electric units top out around 2,000 PSI — that's fine for decks and siding, but it won't clear oil stains or embedded grime from concrete. For driveways, look at a gas-powered unit like the Simpson Cleaning MegaShot at 3,200 PSI/$300 range, or the DeWalt DXPW3425 at 3,400 PSI. A surface cleaner attachment at 15–16 inches diameter will cut your cleaning time by 60% compared to using a wand alone.

**Q: Electric vs gas pressure washer — which should I buy?**
**A:** For a homeowner cleaning a house, deck, and driveway once or twice a year, buy electric. The Sun Joe SPX3000 at $200 gives you 2,030 PSI, zero maintenance, and you can store it in a closet. Gas units start at $300, require annual carb maintenance, fresh fuel every 30 days if stored, and produce CO — they can't be used in enclosed spaces. Only go gas if you need 3,000+ PSI consistently, like stripping a large concrete pad or doing small commercial work.

**Q: How do I choose between a 20V and 40V battery platform?**
**A:** Voltage is marketing math — what matters is watt-hours and motor design. A 20V brushless tool with a 5.0Ah battery delivers 100Wh of energy. A 40V tool with a 2.5Ah battery also delivers 100Wh. The practical difference: 40V platforms (like FLEX, EGO, or DeWalt FLEXVOLT) power larger blades and heavier-duty tools like 10-inch miter saws and chainsaw bars. For standard drills, impact drivers, and 6.5-inch circular saws, 20V/18V brushless tools are completely adequate. Don't upgrade to 40V unless you need a string trimmer, chainsaw, or large-blade saw.

**Q: What's the best impact driver for driving structural screws?**
**A:** The Milwaukee 2953-20 M18 FUEL Impact Driver. It delivers 2,000 in-lbs of torque, has four-mode drive control so you can dial back for finish work, and at 2.1 lbs it won't fatigue your wrist on a long day. For driving 3-inch GRK or Spax structural screws all day, nothing in the 18V class touches it. The DeWalt DCF887 is a legitimate second choice at 1,825 in-lbs, but Milwaukee's FUEL motor holds up better under heat over extended use.

**Q: Can I use one brand's battery in another brand's tool?**
**A:** No. Battery platforms are intentionally incompatible — the terminal configurations and battery management systems differ by brand. There are third-party adapters on Amazon, but I'd never use them on a tool I care about. They bypass the battery management system, void your warranty, and I've seen them cause tool fires. Pick one platform and commit. Milwaukee M18, DeWalt 20V MAX, and Makita 18V LXT are the three platforms worth building around long-term.

**Q: How often should I replace power tool batteries?**
**A:** A quality lithium-ion battery from Milwaukee, DeWalt, or Makita should last 3–5 years or 800–1,000 full charge cycles under normal use. Signs it's time to replace: the tool loses power noticeably faster than when the battery was new, the battery runs warm even under light use, or you're getting less than 30 minutes of runtime from a 5.0Ah battery on moderate tasks. Don't store batteries fully depleted — store them at 40–60% charge in a cool, dry location to maximize lifespan.

**Q: What's the difference between hammer drill and regular drill?**
**A:** A hammer drill adds a forward percussion action — it hammers the bit into the material while spinning, at up to 50,000 BPM on a quality unit. That hammering action is what lets you drill into masonry, brick, and concrete without burning up a standard bit. For wood and metal, you don't need hammer mode — use it only for masonry. The DeWalt DCD996 and Milwaukee 2804-20 are both excellent hammer drills that also function as standard drills. Don't buy a dedicated hammer drill until you know you're drilling into concrete regularly.

**Q: What pressure washer attachments are actually worth buying?**
**A:** Three attachments earn their shelf space. First: a 15–16 inch rotary surface cleaner for flat concrete — it cuts cleaning time in half and eliminates streaking. Second: a downstream chemical injector for applying soap and degreaser without pressurizing chemicals through your pump. Third: a 40-degree wide-angle nozzle for rinsing cars and painted wood siding without damage. Skip the foam cannons, gutter attachments, and sandblasting kits — they're low-quality upsells in most consumer kits and rarely work as advertised.

**Q: Is Makita or Milwaukee better for a homeowner's first tool kit?**
**A:** Milwaukee for most homeowners in the U.S. market. The M18 platform has broader retail availability at Home Depot and online, better warranty service, and more aggressive pricing on starter kits. Makita's 18V LXT is an outstanding platform — arguably the most refined in the industry — and it's the right choice if you live near a strong Makita dealer or if cordless outdoor tools (their 40V MAX line) matter to you. For a homeowner buying their first drill and impact driver combo kit, Milwaukee's M18 two-tool combo at $199 is the single best starting point available today.

**Q: How many watts do I need in a portable generator to run power tools?**
**A:** Calculate your running watts plus a 2x surge buffer. A 15-amp circular saw draws about 1,800 running watts and surges to 3,600 on startup. A job site air compressor draws 1,500 running watts and surges to 4,500. For running two power tools simultaneously on a job site, a 7,500-watt generator is a practical minimum. For homeowner emergency backup powering a few tools during an outage, a 3,500–4,000 watt unit handles most scenarios. The Honda EU7000iS and DeWalt DXGNR7000 are the two generators I'd stake my business on.

**Q: What's the best tool brand for the money in 2024?**
**A:** For pure value, Milwaukee. Their M18 brushless combo kits are priced $20–$40 below equivalent DeWalt kits, the tools outperform their price point, and the M18 battery platform has the longest projected longevity in the industry — Milwaukee has committed to backward compatibility since 2008. Makita makes the most precise tools and is the right choice for finish carpenters and trim work. DeWalt wins on job site durability and impact resistance. But if someone hands me $300 and says "build me a starter kit," I'm walking out with Milwaukee every time.