If you've been using a regular garden hose to try to clean the exterior surfaces of your home, it may be time for an upgrade. Pressure washers use gas-powered engines or electrical motors to increase water pressure up to 50 times that of a garden hose. In addition, pressure washers can greatly reduce the amount of water used by up to 80%. Before buying a pressure washer, there are a few things you should know.
Power Supply
You have two choices of power supply when it comes to buying a pressure washer: gas-powered or electrical. Gas-powered pressure washers do not require an electrical outlet, are more powerful, and generally have a longer life than electric-powered pressure washers. Some of the disadvantages are that they are noisier, need more regular maintenance, and because of the gas fumes, must be used outdoors in well-ventilated areas.
Pressure washers powered by electric motors are popular with many homeowners because they are smaller, lighter weight, are more inexpensive, are not as noisy and do not emit gas fumes. Disadvantages include the fact that they are not as powerful as gas-powered models and are designed for more occasional use like car-washing or cleaning outdoor furniture.
Water Supply
You can choose between having a hot water supply or a cold water supply for your pressure washer. For heavy-duty industrial jobs, you will likely want to choose a hot water supply; however, the typical homeowner will be fine choosing a cold water supply pressure washer.
Engine Brand
Pressure-washer-buyers-guide.com recommends choosing a brand-name engine. Choosing a no-name engine is "just asking for problems with performance, warranty coverage and repair/replacement part problems."
Pump Brand
Most of the cleaning power and pressure comes from the water pressure pump, so it's important that you choose a high-quality brand. There are two types of pumps: axial cam and triplex. Axial cam pumps are great for homeowners, while triplex pumps are better for heavy duty jobs and commercial work. Pressure-washer-buyers-guide.com recommends buying a brand name pump; no-name pumps are not built to last and are sometimes referred to as "one season wonders" because of this.
Key Terms
Before choosing a pressure washer, there are some key terms you need to understand.
PSI, or pounds per square inch, is the amount of force produced by the washer. The higher the PSI, the more powerful the pressure washer. A typical garden hose has a PSI of around 40; the average pressure washer measures in around 2,500 PSI.
GPM, or gallons per minute, is a measurement of the amount of water used in 60 seconds. The GPM is an important factor in the cleaning power and efficiency of a pressure washer.
CPU, or cleaning power unit, measures a pressure washer's total cleaning power. This number is found by multiplying the PSI and the GPM. The higher the CPM, the more powerful and effective the pressure washer will be.
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