Ultimate Guide to Choose Right Pressure Washer for You
People now prefer pressure washers for their home uses a lot. This is because they reduce your daily work of cleanness and maintenance. They are extremely handy and come in a variety of range according to your needs. So if you are thinking about buying one for your household then scroll down. Here are the things you must know before buying a pressure washer.
What is the Pressure Washer?
A pressure washer is a high-pressure water sprayer that can clean grease, oil, dirt, mud, and loose paint from any surface like your floor, or garden area, or vehicles and concrete structure like buildings or pavements. The strength or power of a pressure washer is indicated by gallons per minute. There are two types of pressure washers; electronic and gas pressure washers. Also, you can find variants in them by hot water pressure washer and cold water pressure washer.
Why You Need a Pressure Washer?
There are tons of reasons why you should use a pressure washer in your daily cleaning activities. Some of them are:
- It saves your time- if you own a car or a two-wheeler then you know the struggle it takes to be cleaned. It almost takes half of your Sunday if you start cleaning it. A pressure washer with medium power like 1500 PSI can do it in few minutes.
- It saves your energy- You don’t even need to bend for cleaning the intricate areas of your bike or car. All you will have to do is to stand still pointing the hose towards your vehicle and the pressurized water will do the rest.
- It saves your money- the cost of pressure cleaners are around $100 to $400. Your one-time professional car, driveway, garden, or deck cleaning can charge up to $150.
- It saves water-it is surprising but, a pressure washer can save 50 to 70% water than a manual hose pipe cleaning. It takes less water and forcefully directs it to the object to clean it fast.
What is the Difference between Electric Pressure Washer and Gas Pressure Washer?
The electric pressure washers are specially designed for personal uses. It generally supports 1200 to 2800 PSI which is more than enough to clean your car, grills, driveway, lawn, and stairs. They are portable, risk-free, and handy than the gas pressure washers. They are also less costly and less weighty than the gas ones. They do not require much maintenance. They only need a proper supply of electricity and water to run. So if you want to use them outside then make sure you have an extension cord and electric supply to power on your pressure washer.
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Gas pressure washer
Electric VS Gas Pressure Washer? Which is Best?
Thus for everyday home cleaning purposes, electric pressure washers are best for you. They also look fashionable and homily than their gas-powered counterparts. Also with their comfortable price ranges and low dangers they are liked by most of the folks.
How to Pick One Right Electric Pressure Washer?
Pressure washers come in a variety of ranges and prices. It depends on two factors; pounds per square inch (PSI) and gallons per minute (GPM). The more PSI and GPM based washer you choose the more forcefully and quickly it will do your work. But a heavily powered washer has nothing to do in your bathroom or kitchen cleaning. So you need to know your needs and the perfect washer to satisfy that. Knowledge about the different PSI, nozzle, pressure hose, and power chord ranges and their abilities will help you with this.
How to choose the right PSI?
It is very simple to choose the right PSI if you know the purpose for which it is going to work. For instance, a light pressured model can remove dust or salt easily from your vehicle. But to remove oil or paint from your garage floor you will need a high PSI model.
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Below 2000 PSI:
If you require to clean your BBQ grills or your bike or scooter or car then a below 2000 PSI model will be perfect for you. They come in 1200 and 1900 PSI at 1.2 GPM and 2 GPM and are also compatible to clean patio furniture, small decks, and patios. They are compact, lightweight, and cost less than $200.
- Between 2000 PSI to 2800 PSI:
If you require to clean your asphalt driveway or pathway, the exterior cedar fences and sidings or decks and docks then go for the medium-range PSI. They come in between 2000 PSI to 2800 PSI at 1.6 GPM to 3 GPM and will serve you effortlessly to do medium cleaning job at your home or your shop.
- Above 3000 PSI
The above 3000 PSI models are not generally used for home purposes. These durable models are best for cleaning industrial equipment, removing graffiti, washing buildings, and for paint stripping.
How to choose the right nozzles?
It is also very important to choose the right nozzle for a specific work. Nozzles control the force of the water on the object you are cleaning. Some pressure washers have all in one variable spray wand where you can adjust the water pressure with a twist. And some washers come with interchangeable nozzles.
Nozzles quantities:
Excellent usually comes with 5 spray nozzles. They are defined by five colors. The size of the nozzle hole is also matters. A large nozzle hole will reduce pressure while a too-small nozzle whole can limit water flow and create much load for the machine. There are different nozzle sizes available for different PSI ranges.
What can do with different spray nozzles?
- The red nozzle or 0-degree nozzle- this nozzle gives maximum pressure of water and can cut through soft surfaces. It is designed to clean a specific spot at a time. It helps remove tiny grasses on your walkway or cleaning the mud and dust in your sidewalk cracks. It is ideal to remove stubborn stains and paints.
- The yellow nozzle or 15-degree nozzle- it is less powerful and dangerous than the red nozzle. It can work excellently to remove paint, dirt, and mud from a plain surface. Thus it is used to clean garage floors, roofs and drains.
- The green nozzle or 25-degree nozzle- this nozzle is generally used for regular house cleaning purposes. It creates fair water pressure and covers a wide area at a time. Thus it is used to wash dirt from driveways, decks, lawns, and paths. The pressure is gentle yet effective to clean cars, trucks, boats with detergents.
- The white nozzle or 40-degree nozzle- this is used to clean or wash delicate and fragile objects. It cleans delicately and with a wide range at a time. You can wash your window panes, blinds, or your dear car with it without hesitation.
- The black nozzle or 65-degree nozzle- this is used for wetting the surface or for applying detergents on the object. After pre-cleaning with the black nozzle, you can shift to the other nozzles for deep cleaning.
Does the length of pressure hose and power cord matter?
Yes, the length of the pressure hose and the power cord matters extremely in the case of an electric pressure washer. For a gas washer, you don't need any power cord. And the hose can be long enough to handle freely. But for an electric pressure washer, you need to choose a long power cord and pressure hose for comfortable use. If you want to clean your garden area or your car outside then a long power cord and hose can only help you as you cannot carry electricity with you everywhere. A long pressure hose will give you a flexible all-round cleaning.
How to Choose a 100% Safe Pressure Washer?
For a safe pressure washer, you can trust on experienced brands. Also, look for the materials by which the pressure washer is made. The body of the electric washers is made with plastic that makes them less durable than gas pressure washers. So if you are choosing a plastic model then choose the best quality plastic for long-lasting service. If you are buying it for hone use purposes then go for electric one are they are much safer than gas washers.
What kind of safety technologies a pressure washer should have?
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The body of the pressure washer should be heat resistant as the motor can generate extreme heal while continuous working.
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The handle and trigger should be made with thicker plastic and ergonomic shape for a better comfortable grip.
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The trigger must have a safety lock so that no one can accidentally turn on the pressure washer.
No matter what safety features the manufacturers use to make the pressure washer its risk depends on the way you are using it. You need to follow some rules before using a pressure washer.
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You should wear proper safety equipment like safety goggles, helmet, enclosed shoes, and gloves before starting. If you are using a gas pressure washer then use ear protection as they create a lot of noise. Also, wear full pants as debris can fly everywhere.
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Read your safety manual carefully before using the device as each model is slightly different from the other.
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Avoid using a gas pressure washer in a closed area. It contains harmful exhaustible gases that can cause headaches or dizziness if you intake them for a long time.
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To avoid injury start with the widest nozzle and then gradually shift to the narrow one.
Conclusion:
With their varieties is shapes and usage pressure washers are now taking place in almost every household. Electric pressure washers with their compact size can be put in any corner of your house. With pocket-friendly portable electric washers, you can take care of your car or bike on your own. It will eventually save your money in a long way. You just need to do a detailed quality check before buying. Don't go for cheap ones as then your safety may get compromised. You can look after West-force pressure washer as they are satisfying customer’s demands for years.
