What is a Pressure Washer?
A pressure washer is a machine that can clean many different types of surfaces using water pressure. Pressure washers have been around for several years but have only recently become so affordable that many households purchase them instead of renting them from the local hardware store. Perhaps your wood deck is in need of cleaning and repainting, or maybe your concrete porch is scuffed and stained. Whatever your problem, a pressure washer is likely to help. Pressure washers can generate significantly more water pressure than a garden hose. In fact, most domestic pressure washers available for home use actually utilize your garden hose and its water supply. A pressure washer can increase your garden hose’s pressure by 15 to 50 times, or more. Not only does this increased pressure help clean better, but it also cuts down on the amount of water you use. The main function of a pressure washer is to multiply the pressure output from a garden hose and concentrate the water into a pressurized
Pressure washers clean surfaces by applying a powerful stream of pressurized water. First, you’ll need to understand the measurement terms used when describing pressure washers. Pounds per square inch (PSI) is the way water pressure is measured. The higher the PSI, the more power the pressure washer will have. Gallons per minute (GPM) describes the amount of water hitting the surface you are cleaning. A pressure washer with a higher GPM will take less time to clean surfaces than a model with a lower GPM. Power washers are usually categorized by their GPM, PSI and their power source (whether they are gas or electric). Residential gas-powered pressure washers Residential gas-powered pressure washers usually have more PSI (2,000 – 3,000 PSI) than electric pressure washers. Having a higher PSI allows this type of pressure washer to clean surfaces such as small decks, siding, fences and furniture faster, and to tackle larger jobs such as extremely soiled concrete. These pressure washers are
It’s a gas engine or electric motor, pump and concentrating nozzle that boosts water pressure from your garden hose as much as 60 times, according to a recent article in Consumer Reports magazine. Water pressure is measured in psi, or pounds per square inch. The higher the psi number, the stronger the impact. Adjustable nozzles and quick-connect tips vary spray patterns. All this pressure eliminates stains and dirt faster than any garden hose or cleaning brush can ever accomplish. But, if you use too much pressure on vinyl siding, you’ll cut it. Or if you get too close to wood on a deck, you can gouge it. And go easy on your car or you’re liable to peel away trim or knock off moldings. Before using a pressure washer, read the manual and cover any plants and electrical outlets that may get wet. Always use a product made specifically for the project you’re doing, such as a deck and vinyl siding cleaner. Affordable pressure-washer prices – about $100 for electric ones and $300 for gas mod
It’s a gas engine or electric motor, pump and concentrating nozzle that boost water pressure from your garden hose as much as 60 times, according to an article in Consumer Reports magazine (www.consumerreports.com) earlier this year. Water pressure is measured in psi, or pounds per square inch. The higher the psi number, the stronger the impact. Adjustable nozzles and quick-connect tips vary spray patterns. All this pressure eliminates stains and dirt faster than any garden hose or cleaning brush can ever accomplish. But, if you use too much pressure on vinyl siding, you’ll cut it. Or if you get too close to wood on a deck, you can gouge it. And go easy on your car, or you’re liable to peel away trim or knock off moldings. Before using a pressure washer, read the manual and cover up any plants and electrical outlets that may get wet. Always use a product made specifically for the project you’re doing, such as a deck and vinyl siding cleaner. Affordable pressure-washer prices — about $1
A pressure washer is a unit electric or gasoline powered that raises the water pressure from your hose (or water tank) and blasts it onto a surface for cleaning. Pressure washers have different PSI ratings generally 1000 to 5000 PSI. How does this compare to a regular garden hose ? A regular garden hose puts out about 40 PSI of water pressure and flows 8 gallons of water per minute. This Craftsman electric unit we are reviewing for example is rated at 1300 PSI at 1.5 gallons per minute. You can see this translates to less waste of water and a drastic boost in water pressure. For higher pressure applications, you need to go to a gasoline powered unit. What are cleaning units ? Ok, pressure washers are often rated using “Cleaning Units” a cleaning unit is figured by taking the PSI and multiplying by the gallon of water flow per minute (GPM). So this means: PSI x GPM = CLEANING UNITS. A cleaning unit helps measure combined PSI and flow specs. This means this unit is rated at 1300 x 1.5 =
