Pressure Washer Buying Tips: Before you go on a shopping spree for pressure washers, you need to familiarize yourself with things about Pressure Washer that Matters.
Simply knowing that having a pressure washer will solve all your cleaning wrangles at home is not enough.
You need to equip yourself with more information about pressure washers to determine whether you’re spending your money wisely.
This article features Things about Pressure Washers that Matters and will set you on the right track to discovering more about pressure washers before you pick one.
Here are some essential things you need to be aware of before buying a pressure washer
8 Essential Pressure Washer Tips
Here are the tips to keep in mind before finalizing any pressure washer.
1. The Size of the Pressure Washer
To determine the ideal size of your pressure washer, you first need to establish your cleaning goals and have a clear image of how you will use it to achieve your goals.
Knowing exactly how you will use a pressure washer will help you identify the size of the pressure washer you want.
For instance, if you own an industrial complex, you will need a much larger and powerful pressure washer than your neighbor at home.
2. Gas/Electric Pressure Washer
At their finest, pressure washers can multiply the water pressure of a regular garden hose up to 80 times. If your garden hose has a pressure rating of 20 PSI, a pressure washer can convert that to 1600 PSI.
This increased pressure makes pressure washers more efficient at completing cleaning jobs. Further, I want to know some differences between gas and electric pressure washers.
3. Price
Owning an electric pressure washer will set you back about $100, and $300 for a gas pressure washer. Renting will cost you back $50 and $90 per day for the pressure washers.
4. Power
Generally Gas pressure washers produce more power than electric pressure washers. Power of gas pressure washer can vary from 1000 to 1500 PSI from that of electric pressure washer.
The reason behind this is the gasoline engine in gas pressure washers. Gasoline engines produce enough power that is almost double of normal electric powered pressure washers.
5. Performance Ratings
The performance levels of gas washers are rated at about 2000 – 2800 PSI, while electric washers are rated at about 1300 – 1700 PSI. This means that performance-wise, gas washers are superior to electric washers. You will likely spend less time and energy using a gas washer than an electric washer.
6. Noise Levels
Expect higher noise levels when operating gas washers than electric washers. On average, gas washers produce 85 decibels (dBA) of noise when operational while electric washers average about 78 dBA when operational.
However, when idling, it is a different story between the two models. Gas washers produce roughly similar noise levels when idle as when operational while electric washers are completely silent when at running at idle.
7. Best For (Requirement)
Gas washers are ideal for heavy-duty cleaning jobs, such as removing stubborn oil stains, while electrical washers are more suitable for light-duty cleaning tasks, such as cleaning furniture.
8. Weight
Electric washers are lighter than gas washers, which enhances mobility. Interestingly enough, you can find a gas washer that weighs up to three times the weight of an electric washer.
It is important to note that having more power isn’t necessarily a good thing in pressure washers.
If you are a newbie user, you are likely to injure someone or cause property damage when operating a high-powered machine.
Therefore, you should start with a low-powered model to learn the ropes and work your way up from there.
4 Drawbacks of Pressure Washers
Pressure washers have their advantages but a few problems of their own. Here are some significant issues;
- If you have poor drainage, pressure washers will flood your floors. This is because these machines dispel a lot of water. If 1.5 – 2 GPM of water is not drained quickly, it will cause floods.
- They produce a lot of noise when operating. You get about 75–90 dBA of noise when operating a pressure washer, with gas pressure washers being the noisiest.
- The high-pressure water they dispel is effective at cleaning but is also notorious for making you and your surroundings dirty. When the water hits the ground, it ricochets with dirt molecules that stick to your clothing. To avoid this mess, you need to choose a suitable attachment nozzle that will not make too much of a mess. You also need to point the spray nozzle in the correct/desired direction before spraying water to avoid leaving a mess. Lastly, wearing protective gear will protect your attire from dirt stains.
- Ever since our childhood days, we’ve been hardwired to know that electricity and water don’t mix. Well, electric pressure washers run the risk of exposing electricity to water, and that can result in catastrophic events. So, even if these electric pressure washers are well insulated, it is always advisable to use an RCD for maximum protection.
5 Pressure Washer Important Parts
1. Water Inlet
The water inlet is a hose-like structure that takes water from the main water supply.
It is fitted with a filtering mechanism that prevents debris from reaching the pump and clogging it.
However, some particles are really small and cannot be stopped by the water inlet’s filtration system.
When they pass through, they can blast out the other end and cause some real damage.
2. Electric Motor or Gas Engine
Pressure washers use either gas-powered or electrically powered engines to produce pressure.
Electrically powered models are ideal for domestic use, while gas-powered models are more suitable for commercial or industrial environments.
However, despite having different power modes, all pressure washers use the same principles to operate.
Use of electric pressure washers is limited to areas with electricity while gas-powered washers can be used anywhere.
3. Water Pump
When the gas engine or electric are operational, they feed power to the pump, which then sucks water from the faucet.
The water is then pushed out of the pump in the other direction at high pressure, creating a jet in the process.
Pressure washer pumps are built to handle about 1 – 2 GPM of water.
4. High Pressure Hose
A high-pressure hose is a tube that dispels the water under high-pressure and is used instead of a regular garden hose.
A regular garden hose would collapse under such pressure.
A high-pressure hose is not a regular kind of hose.
It is reinforced with mesh wire and two layers of high-density plastic to withstand intense pressure.
Typically, most pressure washers come with their own high-pressure hoses, so you don’t need to worry about finding a hose for your pressure washer.
As an industry standard, hoses have a 300% safety margin, meaning if your pressure washer is rated at 1000 PSI, it can withstand pressures of 3000 PSI.
5. Cleaning Attachment
Most pressure washers come equipped with attachments such as quick-connect nozzles, a spray wand, and a trigger gun.
If you are doing light cleaning jobs at home, these attachments should be sufficient.
However, if you need more cleaning power, you can equip your pressure washer with aftermarket attachments such as rotating brushes, spinning spray wands, and more to complete more intensive tasks.
Final Words: Pressure Washer Buying Tips
Pressure washers are not tools. You simply walk into a store and say, “I want that one.” Instead, you need to do your due diligence to determine if that particular pressure washer you are eyeing will serve your interests.
Without adequate prior knowledge, you might find yourself buying an industrial-use pressure washer for your home, which might end up causing serious injury or damage at home.
We created this article to avoid such scenarios. Once you purchase a best brand pressure washer, the next logical step is to use it. While using pressure washers, you may face some minor problems, which can be handled by you.
